Are Price Increases Dooming the Steam Machine Before It Even Launches?

Pragmata’s director has expressed a strong desire for a sequel, though he lacks the authority to make that decision. Expect a substantial update with The Witcher 3’s Songs of the Past. Plus, we finally have new information about the long-awaited physical edition of Hollow Knight: Silksong. Welcome to the gaming roundup for May 28, 2026, where we’re shaking off the sleepiness and reminiscing about the days when we were young and full of gaming dreams.

During a recent visit to GameStop, I overheard an employee discussing the rising costs of upgrading gaming PCs with a regular customer. “Everything’s so expensive now,” one remarked. “And games are $70 now, too,” replied the other. Interestingly, the collectible trading card section has expanded to outsize both the Switch 2 and Xbox sections combined.

Take this with a grain of salt, as it was just casual chatter, but I heard a figure regarding Valve’s estimated starting price for the Steam Machine, and it was still higher than the current Steam Deck prices.

Just two months ago, Valve’s Steam Deck was reported to start at $790, which has many concerned that the upcoming Steam Machine will be a pricey niche product aimed at hardcore fans. Valve insider Brad Lynch tweeted that the estimated price for the Steam Machine was already above the current Steam Deck prices. The implication is that the Steam Machine could start at around $1,000, with the larger SSD model costing even more. While this might still be competitive with other gaming PCs in that performance range, such prices are unlikely to sway anyone considering a switch from console gaming—unless the PlayStation 6 and Project Helix Xbox launch at over $700. Suddenly, that $450—soon to be $500—Switch 2 doesn’t seem so bad.

“I’d love to see a sequel,” director Yonghee Cho mentioned, but he clarified that he isn’t the sole decision-maker, so he can’t comment further. This sparked a bit of a frenzy, prompting Cho to emphasize that it was merely his personal opinion, with producer Naoto Oyama urging not to take his words out of context.

CD Projekt Red’s associate director Paweł Sasko retweeted an interview with Idris Elba to clarify that the upcoming content is not DLC but an expansion. “We do expansions. Big! Massive! Monster! We don’t do DLCs, and when we do, we give them away,” Elba stated ahead of Phantom Liberty’s launch. It remains to be seen how inflation will impact pricing, but previous Witcher 3 expansions were around $20 each, which was a great deal considering their scale.

According to a reliable source, the long-awaited SKU will be priced at $40 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, launching on October 16. The game will be $45 on Switch 2, which includes versions for Switch 1 and next-gen consoles, but without a game key card. A 32-page manual will also be included.

A reliable leaker has shared what appear to be official concept art for Persona 6, generating excitement for the official reveal. Images posted on a Chinese social media platform show sketches of the game’s protagonists, following rumors that Persona 6 will feature dual protagonists and could be showcased at the upcoming Summer Game Fest Live. The game is reportedly targeting a 2027 release window.

Paralives lead developer Alex Massé announced on Reddit that there will never be paid DLCs, only free updates, even after Early Access. “As life sim fans, we wanted to create a game we would enjoy without needing to buy extra content, and we’re happy to deliver that,” he stated. With a small team of just 15 people, they feel secure in their sales, which will sustain them for years, even if they expand the team.

The game is set to launch on console and PC on October 13, showcasing new features in a recent trailer. The two new habitats include aquariums and aviaries, with a story that delves into conservation themes.

…until it goes on sale. “I want to make a short announcement about the upcoming sale so those who haven’t bought the game yet can save a couple bucks for a coffee or a compressed air duster for your keyboard,” the developer shared this week. “Seriously, that thing is worth buying to clean years of dust and food crumbs out of your keyboard.” The typing battle royale is expected to drop well below its $10 Steam price soon.