Can everyone please stop claiming and speculating that Valve’s new hardware will be loss leaders? If you watch LTT and Gamers Nexus’s first videos on the announcement, they actually spoke with Valve’s engineers. And the Valve representatives already said that the new hardware WILL NOT BE LOSS LEADERS.

There isn’t even evidence that the Steam Deck was a loss leader. All GabeN said was that the lowest cost launch model was priced “painfully”, which doesn’t necessarily mean it was sold at a loss, it could easily have been sold at a very tight margin.

And no, low margins does not meet the definition of a loss leader. A loss leader is a product sold below cost, in that every unit sold actually costs the seller money.

I get the desire to speculate on new hardware. It’s fun and it helps pass the time until we hear more info from Valve. But there’s limits to what is reasonable. Valve has already stated that the new hardware won’t be loss leaders, so hoping and/or claiming they are isn’t reasonable.

Sorry for the rant, but all of the comments that seem to have only skimmed headlines are quickly getting to me

  • Tywèle [she|her]@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    156·
    24 hours ago

    I‘m always amazed at the amount of people believing the Steam Machine will be sold for the same or less than the most expensive version of the Steam Deck while being six times as powerful.

    • Deconceptualist@leminal.spaceEnglish
      21·
      22 hours ago

      Just playing devil’s advocate here. I don’t necessarily disagree with you, but there are some interesting factors at play.

      1. The Steam Machine won’t need a screen or battery, two of the most expensive components on the Deck. So that can go into better CPU/GPU/RAM instead.
      2. Valve proved they can make a successful physical hardware product with the deck. That gives them a lot of negotiating power with AMD to get the best deal they can.
      3. Unlike with the Deck, they’re releasing three new gadgets in almost all major countries simultaneously. That means they may have already started manufacturing months ago, and are benefiting from economy of scale at an entirely new level.
      • themurphy@lemmy.mlEnglish
        161·
        22 hours ago

        Steam Machine is also bigger. Small costs money if you want powerfull.

        Also, it’s newer hardware.

        I think it will be priced at least a 100€ above the Deck, but I would also be willing to pay that for a console/living room computer.

      • snooggums@piefed.worldEnglish
        10·
        23 hours ago

        That’s my average, but wouldn’t be super surprised if it was up to $1000 due to tariff and AI shenanigans

        • Echo Dot@feddit.ukEnglish
          3·
          6 hours ago

          The other problem is that the tariffs could be totally different by the time it releases. I fully suspect that the tariffs are the reason that we haven’t got a price yet.

          It would be funny if it is noticeably more expensive in the US though like with the Switch 2.

        • TheMinions@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          1·
          23 hours ago

          Really I’m just hoping it’s not much more than a PS5 Pro or Xbox Series X.

          I don’t want either of those, but would love a gaming PC, but don’t have time to build or have the money to shop one really.

          So this is a really good above middle ground, assuming it’s less than 1k.