Ars Technica reports that Valve is developing a N intendo Switch-like portable PC
The report follows the discovery of a code change on the Steam client on Tuesday that mentions a new device called “SteamPal”. First, Pavel Djundiuk, the operator of SteamDB I discovered the change this morningand found that it was tied to a prototype controller code-named “Neptune”.
Valve’s “Neptune” controller reappears in the latest Steam Client Beta.
It’s called “SteamPal” (NeptuneName) and has “SteamPal Games” (GameList_View_NeptuneGames)
– Pavel Djundik (@thexpaw) May 25, 2021
Polygon has approached Valve spokesman Doug Lombardi for comment. Given the company’s secrecy history and the nature of this rumor, a reaction is unlikely to occur. Ars Technica said the company did not immediately respond to his request for comment.
According to Ars’ sources, the “SteamPal” – its final name has not been confirmed – is an all-in-one Linux-based PC with a touchscreen and gamepad control, similar to the Nintendo Switch Lite. According to Ars Technica, it can connect to larger monitors using a USB Type-C connection. However, whether there will be a dedicated dock like the Switch Lite and Switch is unknown.
Earlier this month, Valve founder Gabe Newell spoke to a high school audience in New Zealand and was asked whether Steam would “port games to consoles or just stay on PC.” A Reddit user posted Newell’s recorded response to one post since deleted (but reported by Ars at the time). Newell said, “You will get a better idea of it by the end of this year … and it won’t be the answer you expect.”
Valve, however, has an uneven history when it comes to hardware projects and their engagement. Steam Machines, for example, were a line of console-like gaming PCs that Valve introduced in 2015 and tacitly removed from the list in 2018.
Steam Machines’ efforts to consolidate the Steam experience seemed to be undermined by the features of the cheaper Steam Link device, which allowed users to stream games from their gaming PC to their TV. But Valve also stopped manufacturing the Steam Link hub in 2018.
Valve also developed and developed the Valve Index virtual reality headset, valued at $ 999, which launched in the summer of 2019 Half-life: alyx Despite positive critical reception for both the device and the game, the global COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the device’s widespread availability and retention.
