Day: May 25, 2021

Valve is apparently getting back in the “Steam console” business. According to data mined from Steam files and independent reporting, the company is in the process of building a handheld gaming PC to run Steam games–and it seems like it’ll be quite similar to a Nintendo Switch.

The rumor of the Steam handheld was originally posted on Steam Database’s Twitter account, which stated that hints were hidden in the latest Steam client beta update. Later, Ars Technica reported that it was able to independently confirm many of the details of the handheld, which may be called the SteamPal. Although that name is based on Steam DB’s review of the client files, it has not been confirmed.

The console will literally be a miniaturized PC ergonomically designed to hold in your hands like a Nintendo Switch, and it’ll run a version of Linux. It will have gamepad controls and a touchscreen, much like the Switch (but without removable controllers). The SteamPal’s comparisons to the Switch don’t stop at its form factor: It will also allow you to connect to a larger screen via a USB-C port.

Ars reports that the PC probably won’t feature an Nvidia microchip (sorry, no 30-series GPU in this particular device), and that Valve will source chips from either AMD or Intel. Also, because this device will run Linux, it will almost certainly be highly customizable and be able to operate more or less like a normal Linux computer.

There’s no word yet on what the SteamPal might cost or be officially called, but Ars suggests that it has the potential to be released this year. This isn’t the first time that Valve has explored small, contained, pre-built machines for running Steam games. Wayback in 2015, the company worked with PC manufacturers to launch Steam Machines, which were pre-built PCs running SteamOS (a custom version of Linux). They shipped with Steam Controllers. Although Steam Machines are more or less dead at this point, some aspects of the Steam Controller–particularly the touchpads–may be included in some form on the SteamPad.

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Back in the ‘80s, Nintendo’s renewed commitment to quality games helped the company rebuild the crashed video game market with the NES, but now that consoles basically print money, the company seems less worried about what ends up on its hardware. A new $10 app promises to turn your Switch into a motion-detecting spy alarm—just don’t set your expectations too high.

Nintendo didn’t really promote the feature when the Switch originally launched, but when the cardboard Labo kits were released it was revealed that each Joy-Con controller featured an infrared camera that could detect the presence of light that was invisible to human eyes. It’s what made many of those wacky cardboard creations work, and it’s how the upcoming Spy Alarm promises to keep an eye out for intruders.

You’re probably not familiar with a game developer called Sabec, but if you follow Switch gaming news you undoubtedly saw reports of a $10 scientific calculator app recently being released for the console. It was developed by the same people behind Spy Alarm, which is expected to hit the Switch’s app store on May 27.

The app’s functionality looks rather basic. You place one of your Joy-Cons on a flat, stable surface and point it “towards the area you want to protect.” If someone breaks the invisible beam emitted by the Joy-Con, the app will sound an alarm and log the incident by time. The app features sensitivity adjustments, but with a range of around 39 inches it doesn’t actually sound like that sensitive of a security solution. If an intruder is wearing bright or highly reflective clothing, the range is improved, but how often do you see spies or burglars in the movies suiting up in neon yellow tracksuits?

There’s also the issue that the Switch has to be turned on and actively running the Spy Alarm app for it to keep an eye out for intruders. That alone is a dead giveaway, and unless you’re within range of the alarm, it’s not able to send notifications to a mobile device like proper security equipment can. Unless you’re in it for the novelty, you’re better off putting that $10 toward a $30 motion-sensing security camera that keeps an eye out for you while you’re still able to play New Pokémon Snap.