Comment by lowbloodsugar | Hacker News Reader

Comment by lowbloodsugar | Hacker News Reader

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I don’t understand who the target is. I can afford one but I’ve already got a PS5 Pro and it just works. I’ve got a threadripper+blackwell running Linux too, but it gets 2/3 the framerate of when I boot it to windows for games. When I had more time and less money, I would have built a gaming PC that would be better and cheaper than the steam offering. So the market isn’t me.

Who is it? Who wants a gaming machine connected to their TV? Every PS5 and Nintendo owner. Are they the target market? Why would a PS5 owner spend $1100 on a machine that places games worse if at all? So I can FPS with a mouse? DRM doesn’t work. So I can play RTS? No I’m sitting at my desk over my keyboard.

Who wants a Linux PC connected to their TV that doesn’t already have a Linux PC connected to their TV? Who wants a smaller, less customizable box? That you can’t swap out the graphics card when they inevitably become a lot cheaper? Who wants a last gen AMD GPU and not be able to swap it out for a 5080 once things are cheaper again and the 6060 comes around?

Who is this for? I’m not hating on it. It’s not for me and I don’t know who it IS for.

I think you’re massively under valuing people who have giant Steam libraries and want to be able to use them in a console like experience.

Lots of people don’t want to buy a ps5 and split ecosystems. Lots of people don’t want to tinker with sunshine.

Define lots? You are describing someone who: 1/ has spent many years building a steam collection (has $$$) and 2/ has a collection of console-playable games but never bought a console to play them. (Suggests doesn't have $$$). and 3/ doesn't already have, or desire building, a SFF upgradable PC?

Like, the sweet spot is they have to: 1. have $$$ of games, 2. have $1200 to spend on a second PC and 3. not have, nor desire to have, an upgradeable SFF PC.

$1200 is a 5070ti or a 5080 (just). We know they have a PC already (they have $$$ steam games). If I have a PC already and I play games, and it doesn't have a 5080, then I'm spending my $1200 on the 5080, not a living room console. So, now we're talking about someone who either has a 5080, or plays the kind of casual games that don't need a 5080. My experience is that those kind of games aren't great on a TV and a joystick. I'm not playing Factorio, Civ, Rimworld or Citizen Sleeper on a TV with a controller!

I've got quite a steam collection, but they are all non-console games. That's the distinction for whether I bought it on steam or for a console.

Is there a large demographic who bought console games on steam because they don't own a console?

Anyway, valve themselves have the demographics, so presumably they see a target market. I just don't know what it is! =)

Yeah man I think your logic is massively flawed. You’re making assumptions based on your own preferences. Not every gamer is going to prefer the latest gpu and yes there are plenty of gamers whose libraries are filled with games that are meant for controllers and consoles, in fact I’d argue that this is more common than your choices.

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