HiTechEdge

Tag: Steam

  • Bethesda Sunsetting Its Game Launch in Favor of Steam

    Bethesda Sunsetting Its Game Launch in Favor of Steam

    Bethesda has announced it is sunsetting its own Bethesda.net Launcher, embracing Steam instead.

    Bethesda has a long and storied history in the video game industry, eventually being acquired by Microsoft in 2020. The company has maintained its own game launcher, Bethesda.net, but is now shutting it down in favor of the Steam platform.

    The company plans to begin the migration in April, providing detailed instruction to users on how to migrate their game library and Wallets.

    We’re saying goodbye to the Bethesda.net Launcher this year. We would like to thank you for your support and assure you that all of your games are safe. If you’re not playing PC games through the Bethesda.net launcher then your work is done here. Thanks for reading! If you do have games through the Bethesda.net launcher, don’t worry. Starting in early April you’ll be able to migrate your games and Wallet to your Steam account.

    The migration process is expected to be completed by May, at which point the Bethesda.net Launcher will no longer be available.

  • Steam Deck Won’t Run Every Available Game

    Steam Deck Won’t Run Every Available Game

    Prospective Steam Deck buyers are in for a disappointment, with news the console won’t run all available Steam games.

    Valve announced it was releasing a Nintendo Switch-like console, named the Steam Deck. The console has already been making waves, with users excited about the possibility of having their entire Steam library at their fingertips.

    Valve has seemingly supported this notion with some of their comments.

    “This is the first time we’ve achieved the level of performance that is required to really run the latest generation of games without problems,” said Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais, according to Boiling Steam, via Rock Paper Shotgun. “All the games we wanted to be playable is, really, the entire Steam library. We haven’t really found something we could throw at this device that it couldn’t handle.”

    Unfortunately, those comments don’t paint a complete picture, at least according to CodeWeavers president James B. Ramey. Steam Deck is powered by a Linux distro, and CodeWeavers makes the Proton compatibility layer that allows the Linux-based Steam Deck to run Windows games.

    According to Ramey, not all games will be compatible with Proton right away, but Ramey suspects the confusion stems from Valve talking about how powerful the Steam Deck hardware is, not necessarily commenting on software compatibility.

    “I think there are two messages that have been kind of mashed together when people focus and talk on this,” Ramey told Boiling Steam. “The first message is when Pierre-Loup made his announcement and stated that the Steam Deck can support any and all games. I think what he was referencing is — and this is my opinion, this is my perception, this is not something I have talked to him about — but I think he was trying to state that the device itself, the hardware specs on this device, can support any game.”

    “I don’t necessarily think he was referencing supporting that game in Proton — I think he was referencing that the device has the horsepower, the video graphics, the RAM, the hard drive space to support any game out there.”

    As Boiling Steam points out, even if it doesn’t support the entire Steam library, the Steam Deck still supports a whopping 16,000 games. If the device is as successful as early feedback would seem to indicate, the remaining games may be tweaked for compatibility sooner rather than later.

  • Valve Unveils Steam Deck Gaming Console

    Valve Unveils Steam Deck Gaming Console

    Valve has unveiled Steam Deck, a Nintendo Switch-like gaming console capable of running the latest AAA games.

    Valve was rumored to be working on a Switch competitor in May, one that would have a wider profile than the Switch and be based on Linux. The company has delivered, with the Steam Deck.

    The Steam Deck runs SteamOS 3.0, based on Arch Linux. Basing the device on Linux is a smart choice, as it allows Valve to keep the cost down and gives them more control.

    The device includes game controllers, gyro control, the ability to connect it to a TV, as well as use it as a PC. The Steam Deck also boasts easy setup, just requiring a Steam account to immediately access all your games and content. 

    The new devices start at $399 and will ship December 2021.

    Steam Deck – Credit Valve
  • Valve Preparing Nintendo Switch-Like Gaming Device

    Valve Preparing Nintendo Switch-Like Gaming Device

    Valve, the maker of the popular Steam gaming platform, is reportedly looking to release its own Switch-style gaming device.

    Valve is a household name in gaming circles, thanks to its Steam platform. Steam is a popular cross-platform game distribution service that includes some of the most popular titles in existence.

    The company is looking to expand beyond game distribution, with a foray into hardware, according to Ars Technica. The new device is code-named “SteamPal,” and appears to have a touchscreen and feature a wider profile than the Nintendo Switch. It’s believed the extra width will be used for an array of gaming controls.

    There’s no concrete information on price, but Ars believes the device is built with Linux in mind. This will hopefully help keep the cost down, as Valve will be able to avoid the licensing fees associated with Windows.

    While nothing is certain, it’s believed the device may make its debut later this year, as long as the supply chain and current semiconductor shortage can support it.