Valve rumored to be developing a Steam game console for TVs

Valve rumored to be developing a Steam game console for TVs

11 Dec 2024 | Rasmus Larsen |

Valve has seen succes with its handheld game console Steam Deck, and the company is now rumored to be working on a living room console that could challenge PlayStation and Xbox. The rumors gained traction after a developer discovered code references to a new device with HDMI CEC under the codename 'Fremont', which is being tested internally at Valve. The device is built on a hardware platform called 'AMD Lilac' (AMD 8540U). Another developer has since pointed out that the code references confirm the HDMI port is part of the device's GPU. In other words, the device does not connect to the TV via a dock, so it is not a handheld console.

So what is it?

The information has led many to speculate that it is a stationary game console, supported by the inclusion of HDMI CEC, which allows the console to turn the TV screen on and off, similar to PlayStation and Xbox. There are already references to AMD Lilac on the benchmarking platform Geekbench, where the chip performs delivers approximately twice the CPU power of the CPU in Steam Deck, and more than four times as powerful a GPU (graphics).

Who can challenge PlayStation and Xbox?

Despite the potential, media boxes like Apple TV 4K and Nvidia Shield are not posing a serious challenge to PlayStation and Xbox in the living room. Nearly 10 years ago, Valve attempted to break through with a 'Steam Machine' console, but it was a flop. The renewed rumors of a gaming console from Valve stem from the company’s success with the handheld Steam Deck, along with rumors about everything from a 'Deckard' VR headset to new controllers, signaling a broader hardware strategy from Valve.

Valve has found success with their handheld gaming console Steam Deck. Photo: Valve

Valve is in a strong position thanks to its Steam game store, where many games are well-suited for the big TV screen. Also read: Steam admits that you don't own "purchased" games However, everything is still based on rumors, and plans could obviously change.

SteamOS for partners

Valve's handheld Steam Deck console runs SteamOS, an operating system originally developed for living room use with the now-discontinued console/PC hybrids (Steam Machines) and SteamLink. Valve has confirmed plans to open SteamOS to hardware partners for licensing, and the company recently updated its partner terms with the 'Powered by SteamOS' logo shown below. Keep an eye out for this logo in the future.