After becoming the leader in the distribution of dematerialized video games on the PC more than ten years ago with its Steam platform, the publisher and developer Valve is now a builder: the American company has just launched the Steam Deck, a hybrid machine between personal computer and portable console. At first glance, the device looks like a big Nintendo Switch, minus the detachable controllers. Moreover, it can also be connected to an external screen via a USB-C port – in order to be used as a living room console or desktop computer. Even the price isn’t all that different: at $399 excluding tax (around 365 francs) for its most affordable model, Valve’s machine is only slightly more expensive than the Switch’s recent OLED model.
