Valve is expanding its compatibility certification from the Steam Deck to the upcoming Steam Machine, promising a broader range of games to earn the Steam Machine Verified badge. The Valve-designed testing program for this new hardware comes with notably fewer constraints than the Steam Deck’s rigorous requirements. That means many more titles are likely to receive official verification, reflecting the Steam Machine’s different approach to hardware and software flexibility.
If you’ve ever noticed Steam’s neat Verified badges on game pages—that little marker showing how well a game runs on the Steam Deck—this new program works along the same lines. But it won’t be as strict or exclusive, since the Steam Machine is less limited by the performance and usability constraints that shaped the Deck’s compatibility process. Valve’s design team emphasizes that the Steam Machine Verified program isn’t trying to replicate the Deck’s experience, but rather to highlight which games offer a smooth, enjoyable experience on the Steam Machine’s particular setup.
For those curious about the future of Steam’s hardware lineup, this move suggests Valve wants a wider swath of its catalog to be confidently playable on the Steam Machine, no matter if you’re clutching the Steam Deck or looking toward a different flavor of Steam-powered gaming. It’s another step in Valve’s ongoing effort to make Steam gaming as accessible and seamless as possible across varied platforms.
Source: rockpapershotgun.com
