Valve has denied the possibility of bundling a new game with the upcoming Steam Machine, a computer that looks similar to a console and was announced last week. It will run on SteamOS, Valve’s Linux-based operating system, and is expected to launch in early 2026.
Rumors About Half-Life 3
After the announcement, rumors and speculation quickly spread about the possible arrival of Half-Life 3. Some suggested that the long-awaited game could be bundled with the new hardware.
In the past, several Valve devices were released alongside companion games. For example, the Steam Deck came with the free title Aperture Desk Job, and Half-Life: Alyx was initially planned to launch alongside the Valve Index VR headset.
However, this time Valve made its position clear. Developer Pierre-Loup Griffais and designer Lawrence Yang addressed the topic during an interview. When asked, “Is there any chance at all that the Steam Machine comes pre-installed with a brand new Valve game?” Griffais firmly replied, “No.”
He added: “I think in practice, we’re making some tweaks to the Aperture Desk Job interactive shorts to be playable with the Steam Controller because there’s a ton of overlap – you know, it’s a kind of guided tour of the controls of the Steam Deck. So you might install that on your Steam Machine and try it out. But I think we’re excited about all the other games that are out there that you’ll be able to play.”
Yang offered a slightly more hopeful note: “If you have a Steam Deck, can just throw your microSD from your Steam Deck into your Steam Machine – and then those are the games that are the games that are pre-installed on your Steam Machine when you turn it on. It might include a game from us?.”
In other news, Steam Machine price may exceed $500. Leaks and expert commentary suggest Valve could price the console-like PC closer to $700–$800.
