Valve nears new hardware launch as Steam Frame trademark uncovered

It looks like Valve may be preparing to re-enter the living room hardware space, as new trademark filings suggest the company is working on a new console. A recently discovered submission to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) shows Valve has trademarked the name “Steam Frame”, and the description points directly to a spiritual successor to the original Steam Machine concept.

The evidence comes from two separate (1, 2) but related filings (via Reddit). The first one covers categories such as “computer hardware” and “streaming devices”, while the second is more specific, explicitly covering “computer game consoles” and “video game consoles”. Taken together, this strongly suggests the Steam Frame is not a peripheral but a standalone piece of hardware designed for gaming.

Assuming it will follow the same logic as the Steam Machines, the Steam Frame will be a dedicated, pre-built PC that boots directly into SteamOS. It would offer the same seamless, controller-first experience that has made the Steam Deck so successful, but optimised for your TV. It would be the realisation of the original Steam Machine dream, but this time backed by a much more refined version of SteamOS.

By leaving the portable form factor and its thermal constraints behind, a dedicated console could also house a significantly more powerful APU. This could enable Valve to target higher framerates and resolutions, which the Steam Deck is not designed for.

KitGuru says: A trademark filing is not a product announcement, and we should keep our expectations in check until we hear something official. However, this is the most concrete evidence yet that Valve is making a second attempt at establishing itself in the home console market.

Become a Patron!