New Steam Machine and an Nvidia GeForce NOW review
Also, a review for Just Dance 2026.
Starting this newsletter is bittersweet. I'm excited to create something that's mine, where I can be my unfiltered self and discuss opinions that wouldn't perform well on GamingTrend but (hopefully) would be of interest to you. It's also another avenue to perfect my writing. I hope this journey is long and full of fun.
On a deeper personal note, my father-in-law passed away, which will inevitably make the holidays tougher for my family. Many of you, unfortunately, understand this. But my wife remains in good spirits despite missing her father. Life never slows down with a bouncy and oblivious four-year-old, though. We can't help but smile when she's around.
This month, I’ve stepped into reviewing gear and hardware at GamingTrend, but my plan is to keep this newsletter about games. It doesn't seem like that's going to stick, though. I reviewed the impressive Nvidia GeForce NOW, and I feel like I would be doing you a disservice by omitting that. And Valve announced the Steam Machine—again. Shockingly, the original Steam Machines launched a decade ago. It doesn't feel like it's been that long. But this 2025 announcement is just head-scratching as the original. If you play on PC or are considering it, you’ll have my opinion on it.
The rest of this newsletter features my game reviews and opinions I wrote for GamingTrend.
Happy Thanksgiving!
NOVEMBER REVIEWS
This month was light after taking a short break from reviewing the ROG Xbox Ally and spending extensive time testing GeForce NOW.
NVIDIA GeForce NOW Review
I don’t understand who GeForce NOW is for, but the technology is the real deal.
There was one note I didn’t mention in the review because it didn’t impact the score. However, because you’re here, I can give you more context.
Navigating the menus is initially annoying. Content that’s specific to you doesn’t show up in logical ways. I could play Overwatch 2 and The Outer Worlds 2, and neither of them will move to the front of the list, so I don’t have to scroll. Xbox Game Pass games are way at the bottom, even though I’m subscribed, and my Xbox account is linked. The reason why it didn’t bother me much is that what I can play is based on what I own. If I had access to all the games, it would be a horrendous UI/UX. I found it best to search for what I wanted, since I wouldn't be able to find that one game I bought four years ago during a Steam sale.
Just Dance 2026
I was sorely disappointed in this year’s edition. It’s the lowest score I’ve given something this year, and it’s the lowest score on Metacritic for Just Dance on the Nintendo Switch. I wanted to like it, but the song list and dances aren't great.
This year’s edition seemed to be impacted by Ubisoft’s financial drama. I'm hoping 2027 will significantly improve.
OPINIONS!
Battlefield REDSEC’s Gauntlet is better than the Battle Royale; more people need to talk about it
I thoroughly enjoy Battlefield 6, but I wasn’t looking forward to the Battle Royale. I had no idea a separate mode would be released with the BR. It’s called Gauntlet. It’s fun, but more importantly, it’s original.
Anthony Asks (and answers)
Valve announces the Steam Machine. Should you buy it?
Valve announced three new hardware products that will launch early 2026: Steam Machine, Steam Controller 2.0, and the Steam Frame. The Steam Machine is a pre-built PC that, unsurprisingly, runs SteamOS, and is shockingly like a console because you can’t modify it much, if at all. The Steam Controller 2.0 is a redesigned version of the original Steam Controller, using the same hardware and functionality as the Steam Deck inputs, including two touchpads. The Steam Frame is a VR headset that essentially functions as a PC strapped to your face, allowing you to play both VR and traditional games from your Steam library. I’m eager to play with the new Steam Controller. I liked the concept for the original, but it didn’t work as well as I’d hoped.
But if you’re in the market for a new PC and you like Steam and SteamOS, consider the Steam Machine. But it’s not a forgone purchase. Why? I’m not sure if Valve can even answer that question. Besides SteamOS, there’s nothing that sets the Steam Machine apart. It’s simply another option in the pre-build market. That is, unless the price isn’t great, or you can get something more powerful, or you don’t want to deal with a Linux-based operating system, or you don’t like the controller, or you play games on different libraries other than Steam; I think you get my point. There are several reasons to avoid the Steam Machine.
I’m not saying the hardware isn’t good or instructive for the rest of the industry. The touchpads, for example, are a practical innovation for the rest of the industry. I’m not a fan of them, but their practicality for games that don’t use thumbsticks is undeniable. But that’s the controller. What Valve gets wrong--and is getting wrong again--is that there’s nothing that distinguishes the Steam Machine.
Why should you buy a Steam Machine over any other pre-build on the market? SteamOS? Reliability? Power? There is nothing that sets this apart from the rest of the market. It’s got the power of an Xbox Series X or PS5, which is absurd this late into the generation; you have to do extra work if you want to play your games from other storefronts; you don’t know if Valve is going to abandon the Steam Machine like they did with the original, so it’s unreliable. It’s a good idea, but it feels like a personal project that’s being released to the public.
Apple sells stable software and ingenuity. Microsoft sells customization and productivity tools. Valve sells a platform that you can use anywhere and hardware that competes with current consoles, with less customization than other pre-built PCs. The Steam Controller is an easier sell than the Steam Machine.
SuperJoost, who runs a very informational and insightful newsletter, says that Valve is looking to take over the living room. Here’s his full quote below:
I have to ask: whose living room? It’s not mine, it’s not a console player’s living room, so whose living room? If Valve can’t sell how it’s going to take over your living room, how is it going to take over the majority of living rooms? That tells me it’s not about taking over a living room; it’s about providing options for those in the Steam ecosystem.
If my PC dies, I have options: 1.) Build a new PC, 2.) Buy a third-party pre-build, 3.) Buy a Steam Machine. Valve wants to be in the conversation. They’re not looking to take over the living room.
That doesn’t mean the Steam Machine will flop. There are more PC players than ever, and Sony and Microsoft are making it easier to consider PC as a primary platform by releasing their games there. For a console player, why not consider a Steam Machine? It should work as simply as a console, and it might end up in a similar price range.
The Steam Machine is worth consideration, but it doesn’t hold the same value as even the Steam Deck. This, along with the rest of the hardware, aims to create more opportunities for people to be part of the Steam ecosystem. It’s not going to dominate the living room, and it’s not going to convert people. It’s a viable option; that's it.
Next month’s newsletter will arrive sometime after The Game Awards. I’ve decided to refrain from reviewing anything else this year so I can be available for my wife and avoid being burdened by deadlines. But I’m still catching up on other games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ball X Pit, so I’ll have thoughts to share.
Happy holidays! See you next month!