This morning the Steam Link app was released for Android devices in BETA mode. A release in Beta on Android means there'll probably be a few bugs left to work out. If you're alright with a few tiny insects, now might be the best time for you to download the app.
Valve seems to be cooking up quite the treat for mobile users while still clinging to is PC gaming focus. It recently announced the expansion of its Steam Link system that would allow Steam games to be streamed to Android and iOS devices. Now it has revealed a crucial piece of that puzzle by announcing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) support for its Steam Controller. While Valve explains that this is an important requirement for its Steam Link plans, it also makes it possible to use the wireless controller directly with mobile devices.
When it comes to the debate about who makes the best controller, there is no clear answer. For years, the answer was simple enough if you were looking to use a controller for PC games, as Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers offered plug and play functionality that others did not. These days, Valve has complicated the issue by making a variety of controllers compatible through Steam, and today, a new challenger enters the arena: The Switch Pro Controller.
Earlier this month, the popular third-party tool Steam Spy was essentially left dead in the water after Valve announced new privacy settings for Steam users, including hiding libraries and profile data from public view by default. This meant Steam Spy, which tracked stats like games' sales numbers and play time, wasn't able to access the data it needed, and was taken offline. But now its creator has brought it back, although with less reliable data.
Campo Santo, the independent studio behind the award-winning adventure game Firewatch, isn't quite so indie now. The developer has been acquired by Valve, it's been announced. Fans of Campo Santo looking forward to their next game, In the Valley of Gods, don't need to worry, as the developer will continue working on the title as a team under Valve, and won't be moved to other projects.
Today, perhaps prompted by ongoing concerns about data privacy online, Valve announced a new privacy update for Steam. This update is a fairly far-reaching one that aims to give users more control over their profiles. As Steam profiles contain a wealth of information on users, such as their entire game libraries, total play time for each title, and the achievements they've earned, these new features will probably be welcomed by more than a few.
Steam Machines have failed, at least commercially. There’s hardly any argument there. Even Valve itself admits as much. Valve, however, would not concede defeat and promises to remain committed to pushing Linux gaming forward. Some might see it as simple lip service to calm SteamOS fans. Others might see it as a pointless endeavor and business suicide. And yet, if Valve’s dreams are to become reality, it really doesn’t have much choice to stick to its Linux guns for the long term and these are the reasons why.
Earlier this week, we ushered in the month of April by discovering that Valve had removed mention of Steam Machines - pre-built PCs that run SteamOS - from its hardware listings on Steam's main page. Many people, including me, took this to mean that Valve was moving away from Steam Machines, which haven't been heavily promoted for a couple of years now. Today, Valve spoke out about why it removed the PCs from Steam's main store page, and what that means for other products like SteamOS.
Two days ago, Valve removed any trace of Steam Machines from its store. If it weren’t for the media coverage, people might not have even remembered they still existed. Except for the hardest core of PC gamers, most have probably presumed Valve’s overnight sensation to have been long gone. And now, it really is. What was first seen as the revolution of PC gaming has now become almost an embarrassing footnote in gaming history. What happened and why did Valve fail so miserably? It all boils down to trying to hit too many birds with just one stone.
Today we're taking a look at the first round of HTC VIVE Pro reviews from a variety of publications. What we've found is a whole lot of "this is very expensive" and "not for the average user" - which is pretty much what we could have safely assumed would be said. What's not so obvious is judgement on the intended audience - on who HTC assumed would be buying this device in the first place. We're looking at everything.
There was a time not too long ago when Steam Machines were an exciting component of Valve's emerging hardware business. Acting as a vehicle for SteamOS, the idea was that Steam Machines would make the process of buying PC hardware a lot more straightforward some folks, while at the same time giving PC gamers more options besides just Windows. While SteamOS has been seeing consistent - if not always visible - improvement over the last few years, the market for Steam Machines seems to have stagnated.
Apple did not invest in an OLED specialist making microdisplays for wearables, the company has said, despite reports suggesting the Cupertino firm might be shoring up its smart glasses supply chain. Emagin makes OLED microdisplays with particularly high resolution and which, though little use to the naked eye, when combined with magnifying optics could be ideal for wearable displays.