Who needs a Steam Machine? Fans would rather have this accessory from Valve

While speculation continues around Valve’s Steam Machine, some fans are turning their attention to a completely different device: the Steam Link. Given the expected price of the living room PC, some are apparently hoping for a modern version of the small streaming box, which was able to stream PC games directly from a computer to a TV.

Steam Link was released in November 2015 and marked Valve’s first attempt to gain a foothold in the living room gaming market. However, the hardware was discontinued in November 2018, with Valve instead shifting its focus to the Steam Link app for smartphones, smart TVs and other devices. This still allows gamers to stream PC games from their computers to other screens – just without a separate box under the TV.

There are already other ways to stream games from a PC to a TV, including Moonlight, Sunshine and Nvidia Shield. As a recent Reddit thread shows, however, that does not seem to be enough for some fans. Many would prefer a simple, official Valve solution that works without tinkering – essentially, a modern version of Steam Link.

Steam Link 2: What fans want

The ideal scenario for fans would be a new Steam Link with up-to-date wireless technology, an Ethernet port, 4K support, low decoding latency, HDR, VRR and, ideally, direct integration of the Steam Controller. That would let users play their Steam games comfortably on a TV without adding another full-fledged gaming device to the living room. Especially given current speculation about a potentially high Steam Machine price, such a solution could be more appealing to many gamers – particularly those who already own a powerful gaming PC.

However, the idea of a Steam Link reboot is not without controversy. Critics point out that the original device never achieved a major breakthrough and was eventually sold at a steep discount. One reason was that the box depended heavily on the quality of the home network and often struggled with connection issues. Whether Valve will revisit this chapter remains to be seen. Could a modernized Steam Link be an alternative to the Steam Machine? Anyone who would like to share their thoughts on the topic is welcome to do so in the comments section.