Valve has officially registered the trademark “Steam Frame,” igniting further speculation regarding the company`s plans for a new gaming console. This potential device could serve as a console-like counterpart or an evolution of its immensely popular handheld, the Steam Deck. This strategic move clearly signals Valve`s intention to broaden its array of gaming hardware offerings in the foreseeable future.
On September 2, Valve submitted two distinct trademark applications for “Steam Frame,” a detail first brought to light by a keen Reddit user. Each filing specifies a different area of application. The first explicitly covers “computer game consoles for recreational game playing,” encompassing related accessories and controllers. The second, a more general submission, falls under “computer hardware” and contains a detailed description that precisely matches Valve`s previous trademark filing for the Steam Index VR headset. In comparison, the existing Steam Deck was trademarked under categories such as “handheld computers” and “computer hardware.”
While the information contained within these trademark filings isn`t sufficient for definitive confirmation, the industry rumor mill is buzzing with reports that Valve is actively working on several hardware initiatives. These purportedly include a Steam console, rumored to be codenamed Fremont, a next-generation SteamVR headset, known internally as Deckard, and updated Steam controllers. Adding weight to these whispers, “Valve Fremont” recently appeared in a benchmark listing on the Geekbench platform, further fueling the ongoing speculation surrounding the project.
Valve`s previous venture into compact, Linux-based gaming hardware with the Steam Machine did not achieve widespread success. However, the company has since experienced considerable triumph with more recent product launches, notably the highly acclaimed Steam Deck handheld. Following the Steam Deck`s strong market performance, many industry observers anticipated Valve`s return to console-style hardware based on SteamOS. Current developments, particularly these new trademark filings, make a console announcement appear increasingly probable.
The precise nature of what “Steam Frame” will ultimately be remains ambiguous. However, the registration of multiple trademarks suggests that this branding might be designed to encompass a range of upcoming hardware devices, along with their respective peripherals and accessories.