The “good vibrations” between Valve and the current Microsoft are obvious. I think I haven’t seen something like this in years. Gabe Newell bet on Xbox Series and Spencer managed to put his steam spearheads on. A union that obviously benefits both parties despite being competitors in one way or another.
Now Valve has released their own hybrid console, Steam Deck. This portable beast has 2-8-core RDNA architecture and lots of innovation inside. Plus, the great thing about the console is that you can take the Steam catalog anywhere without having to be online.
Phil Spencer thinks Steam Deck is good
It is clear that this almost-surprise launch was going to elicit reactions from the titans of the video game industry. Ultimately it is a new competitor entering the market and although it seems not, the abilities to connect a keyboard and mouse or be used on any TV or monitor make it Steam Deck a console for the living room as well.
Yet far from playing dirty, Phil Spencer spoke positively about this new version. The manager comments that he is happy to know that he can take his catalog anywhere.
It sounds like a lot, well done to the Valve team for getting so many of us happy to be able to take our games with us wherever we decide to play.
Sounds really awesome, congratulations to the team at @valvesoftware to have so many of us excited about being able to take our games with us wherever we decide to play.
– Phil Spencer (@ XboxP3) July 16, 2021
Commitment to Cloud Gaming
This move doesn’t seem to have caused Microsoft much concern despite thousands of fans, including myself, asking for a portable Xbox. Its Cloud Gaming commitment, formerly Project xCloud, seems to remain foolproof and meet its own launch deadlines.
Personally, I think Cloud Gaming is still far from being a local experience, but the truth is, if the necessary connection requirements are met, the experience is very satisfying.
