Shuhei Yoshida, the former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, has shared a scathing review of Valve's Steam Machine console after spending a few hours with the device. In a bullet-pointed list posted on social media, Yoshida highlighted both positive and negative aspects, but did not hold back on criticism.
Performance and Display Concerns
Yoshida described the 3D performance as 'just… meh,' and noted that the system recommended running games at 1080p instead of 4K. He remarked, 'am I going back to PS4 days?' The Steam Machine is marketed as a 4K-capable device, but according to Yoshida and other early impressions, modern games struggle to hit that target without heavy upscaling.
Load Times and User Interface
Long boot times also drew criticism. Yoshida wrote, 'Some games take a looooooong time to boot, what is it doing?' However, he praised the system UI as 'easy to use' and appreciated features like booting up from the controller, swappable faceplates, and randomised startup videos. He also complimented the device's form factor, calling its small size and quietness 'super good.'
Price Point Under Fire
The biggest issue for Yoshida is the price, which he described as 'very unfriendly.' He concluded, 'Hard to recommend to people unless for research.' The Steam Machine is priced at £879 in the UK without a controller, and £938 with one. Valve has acknowledged the high cost, stating it would have preferred a price around 30% lower, but ongoing hardware crises have driven up consumer electronics prices.
Yoshida's review aligns with broader critiques, suggesting that while the Steam Machine has potential, its performance and cost make it a tough sell for casual gamers. The device faces stiff competition from consoles like the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, which have also seen price increases this year.
