Valve recently added new content called "Steam Machine Welcome Tour" to the Steam backend, which is regarded by the industry as another strong signal that this much-anticipated game console is about to be launched. This guided tour was shared on social platform
The report pointed out that Valve has adopted a similar rhythm in the past: On April 1 this year, a welcome guide for the Steam Controller was added to the Steam backend. About a month later, the official announced the pricing and launch time of this controller. If Valve follows this schedule again, the Steam Machine is expected to be officially released as early as early July.
However, Valve has repeatedly emphasized that it has "limited control" over some key external factors that hinder the launch of Steam Machine, and there is still great uncertainty about the specific time. The company has previously said when talking about the console's pricing strategy that it will officially release the Steam Machine when it "can be launched at a reasonable price" or "can no longer wait." This statement means that Valve is still trying to find a balance between cost, selling price and market window.
In related context, there have been rumors that the Steam Machine's pricing levels may be quite "stunning," and there are also reports that Valve has hinted that the price of the device may be lower than some expectations. Prior to this, Valve has announced three new hardware products: Steam Machine, Steam Frame and Steam Controller, and claimed that the game performance of Steam Machine can exceed about 70% of current PC configurations. The industry generally believes that with the launch of the welcome guide and the advancement of back-end preparations, the next phase of the Steam ecosystem's hardware strategy is gradually moving towards the public stage.