Former Xbox & Blizzard Exec Urges Valveโข to Open โขSteamOS for Wider Hardware Adoption
A former โฃexecutive from โboth โXboxโฃ and Blizzard Entertainment is publicly calling โon Valve to allow third-party manufacturers to utilize SteamOS,โฃ believing it would unlock meaningful growth โfor โขboth the operating systemโค andโ Valve’s digital storefront. Mike Ybarra, currently the CEO of Positive โSum, argues that โopening SteamOS wouldโค enableโ the creation of a broader range โof “Steam Machines” – pre-built gaming PCs optimizedโค for the platform – and ultimately increase revenue for Valve.
Ybarra’s appeal centers onโค the potential for a thriving ecosystem similarโ toโฃ the PCโ gaming market,but withโข the streamlined experience โof SteamOS.โค He acknowledges Microsoft’s potential path toโ integrate Windows more deeply with its own services likeโข Teams โand Copilot,โ a move he believes would detract from a dedicated gaming โขfocusโค and โฃdiminishโ theโ appeal of a potential “openโ Xbox OS.” โ He posits that a more open SteamOS, free from such corporate pressures, could fillโ a crucialโข niche forโ gamers and hardware manufacturers seeking a focused, gaming-centric experience.
According to Ybarra, the key to SteamOS’s success lies in โฃits accessibility. Allowing third parties to build โคand sell Steam Machines would expand the platform’sโ reach beyond Valve’s own hardware efforts, fostering competition and โคinnovation. He believes this expansion would โฃdirectly translateโข to increased store revenue for valve, as โa larger user base would inevitably lead to more game โฃpurchases.
Recent developments โคsuggest Valve is actively improvingโค SteamOS, recently adding support โคfor AMD’sโค FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4) โtechnology for โboth SteamOS and Proton, paving the way for its inclusion in future โSteam Machine iterations. Valve’s reaction to โคpricing suggestions for a potential Steamโค Machine – reportedly lukewarm toโ aโ $500 price point, according toโ one YouTuber – indicates the company is carefully considering the hardware aspect of the platform.
