[glenstein]

A conversation for another day and I can't wait to have it, but something about this seems seriously doomed, because Steam already owns this lane, owns it well, and these days I think Linux is objectively the better desktop for most personal, PC-style use cases.

Windows stopped feeling like it meant PC a long time ago, and there's a major risk of the whole Xbox identity disappearing into the PC computing. Probably a conversation for another day but when everything is an Xbox, nothing is an Xbox, and when an Xbox is a PC it might as well be fading away Marty McFly style from our plane of existence.

I suppose what would really impress me is a Roku-style omnivore approach that gives a first class console-style experience and interface to Epic, Steam, Itch.io, GOG and of course Xbox.

[jfim]

You can run steam in big picture mode, and there are ways to add links to games from other game stores to steam such as https://github.com/PhilipK/BoilR

It's not automatic or perfect but it does work.

[glenstein]

I'm aware, but that is indeed a great thing Steam offers. I think it's janky enough that if there's one way to out-steam Steam it might be making the broader PC gaming universe as plug-and-play into a console experience as possible.

[phatskat]

I think this is still a place that steam does well - sure there is some jank, and definitely things left to be desired, but my two cents:

I fired up my…decade old? Steam Link the other day, got steam link clients on my phone, set up a couple steam accounts for my partner and kid, and turned on Wake on LAN on my desktop.

The streaming experience is _smooth_ whether it’s my phone or the TV, it Just Works and we can all play from our own libraries anywhere in the house.

I do wish Steam would clean up some of the pain points - in particular, not being able to switch users from a Steam Link feels like a huge oversight.

I haven’t touched much for gaming in MS’s world outside of just having windows by default, so no Xbox’s around since the 360, and I also really don’t know anyone who uses one. My friends are either PC or Steam, with a handful of us also on Switch. In my world and surrounding orbits, the Xbox is all but a meme at this point

[Forgeties79]

Man I’ve only ever had a terrible experience with the Steam link. Idk how other people get such better results out of it

[phatskat]

I definitely notice a difference in my desktop as the host (better everything, hardwired to the router) than my partner’s old HP, but they both do well enough.

It’s probably also important to note that the most we’re pushing it for is usually either Fallout 3 or StS2, neither of which need impeccable performance or low latency inputs.

Still, for our needs, it works great, and afaict is on par with both Nvidia and PS4/5’s remote streaming in terms of performance.

[mywittyname]

Agreed. I have a steam deck and my wife uses big picture mode on a PC. And both are full of jankiness that you don't get with something like the Switch. I actually bought a steam deck expecting a Switch-like experience, and man was I disappointed. Even the streaming is lacking compared to what Sony offers on the PS5.

I do wish Valve would spend some of their infinite money on sanding off the rough edges of Steam.