Valve has officially unveiled the requirements that developers will have to meet in order to certify their games for upcoming releases. The Steam Machine. While games that have already been certified for the Steam Deck will also automatically be given certified status for the Steam Machine, the new guidelines give an idea of the future of the console/PC hybrid device.
Players have been eagerly awaiting the new Steam hardware coming from Valve for a long time, it has finally been revealed in late 2025. Initially, Valve planned to release all new devices in early 2026, but has had to change its plans due to recent fluctuations in pricing and availability of compute parts. These new guidelines for developers may signal good news for hopeful fans, as they indicate that Valve is continuing to move forward with its plans.
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Valve Description Requirements for Steam Machine Certified Status
During GDC 2026, Valve shared the requirements for developers to be classified as Steam Machine certified on a game platform. As mentioned, all games that are currently classified as Certified for Steam Decks will automatically receive this classification. For other games, developers are expected to have the same input expectations as the requirements for Steam Deck Certified status. Certified status does not require test display resolution or clarity, but developers will need to maintain 30FPS at 1080p to be considered. The performance of the steam machine is repeated six times that of the steam deck. Developers must ensure that all their games can be played exclusively with the controller.
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These new pieces of information shed some light on what Valve is expecting from its own hardware. The company has previously stated that it's still aiming for a 2026 release for all new Steam hardware, though it hasn't offered a specific release window or opened pre-orders to consumers yet. However, moving forward with sharing these requirements indicates that Valve is still putting weight behind its plans, and will likely help ensure that more games are ready for the Steam Machine when it finally launches.
Gamers may also remember that Steam Machine was initially promised in terms of performance and what developers needed to do to verify their games. The Steam Machine was advertised as being able to play “many” games at 60 frames per second in 4K, not 1080p at 30FPS. However, that performance metric was specifically applied to FSR upscaling. It seems that Valve is implying that if a game can meet the base 1080p/30FPS guidelines, once FSR is in effect, the game will meet the high level of performance promised by the company.
Although this is a step in the right direction, gamers are already impatient and worried about the release of new Steam hardware. Many have stated that Valve wants to put the Steam Controller on sale ahead of the Steam Machine and Steam Frame, as it is the piece that interests them the most. Others are still concerned about the potential cost of the hardware, which has not been revealed. However, leaks have indicated that the Steam Machine could cost around $1,000 USD. It's unclear how much the Steam Controller or Steam Frame VR headset might cost, although the Steam Controller may be closer to the price of competitors in the market due to using 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
