Valve has officially revealed the requirements that developers must meet in order for their games to be considered verified for the upcoming Steam engine. While games already verified for Steam Deck will automatically be granted Verified status for Steam Machine as well, the new guidelines give an idea of the future of the console/PC hybrid.
Gamers have been eagerly awaiting the long-rumored new Steam hardware coming from Valve, and it was finally revealed in late 2025. Valve initially planned to release all new devices by early 2026, but has had to change their plans due to the current fluctuations in pricing and availability of computer parts. These new developer guidelines may indicate good news for hopeful fans, as they indicate that Valve is continuing to move forward with its plans.
Valve Comments on Steam Machine Power
A Valve engineer comments on how powerful the upcoming Steam Machine system will be and reveals the reasons behind its technical specifications.
Valve Details Requirements for Steam Machine Verified Status
During GDC 2026, Valve shared what the requirements will be for developers to get their games classified as Steam Machine Verified on the gaming platform. As mentioned, any game currently classified as Verified for Steam Deck will automatically receive this classification. For other games, developers are expected to have the same input expectations as the requirements for Steam Deck Verified status. The verified status will not require screen resolution or readability testing, but will require developers to maintain 30FPS at 1080p to be considered. Steam Machine performance is repeated to be six times higher than Steam Deck. Developers must also ensure that their entire game can be played exclusively with a controller.
Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
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Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
Light (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
These new pieces of information shed some light on what Valve expects from its own hardware. The company has previously said it's still trying to meet a 2026 release for all new Steam hardware, though it hasn't offered a specific release window or opened pre-orders to consumers yet. But moving forward with sharing these claims indicates that Valve is still putting weight behind its plan and will likely help ensure that there are even more games ready for the Steam Machine when it finally launches.
Players may also notice a discrepancy between what was originally promised regarding Steam Machine performance and what developers need to do to get their games verified. The Steam Machine was advertised as being able to play “most” games in 4K at 60 frames per second, not 1080p at 30FPS. However, that performance measure was specifically with FSR scaling applied. It seems that Valve is indicating that if a game can meet the base 1080p/30FPS guidelines, that once FSR is in effect, the game will meet the higher level of performance promised by the company.
While this is a step in the right direction, gamers are already impatient and worried about the release of the new Steam hardware. Many have said they wish Valve would put the Steam Controller on sale before the Steam Machine and Steam Frame, as that's the part they're most interested in. Others remain concerned about the potential cost of the hardware, which has not been disclosed. However, leaks have indicated that the Steam Machine could cost around $1,000. It's unclear how much the Steam Controller or the Steam Frame VR headset might cost, though the Steam Controller might be able to match the price of competitors in the market better due to the fact that it uses less advanced hardware than the other devices. In any case, these rumors should be taken with a grain of salt until Valve is ready to share more information.
Source: Steam
