Steam Machine Startup Animation from r/pcmasterrace
There's something about a Valve hardware launch that's just so… wholesome, you know? The company just feels like one of the last to genuinely care about making a good PC gaming experience. I mean, there wasn't even so much as a mention of AI from Valve when discussing the Steam Machine, other than regarding upscaling. So it shouldn't really be a surprise that I'm excited for the prospect of custom Steam Machine launch screens.
For those unaware, if you have a video file in the right resolution and format, SteamOS allows you to use it as a boot screen—it can be anything you choose. And naturally, people have already got to work on boot screens tailored to the upcoming Steam Machine. In particular, this GabeCube one posted by Redditor DentureTaco will surely be a go-to.
The 'GabeCube' meme is already a little overused but frankly, I don't care. It's too good not to use, and this faux GameCube animation is fantastic. That staple Valve audio at the end sends nostalgic shivers down my spine, too.
That SteamOS lets you change its bootup screen shouldn't be a massive shock given it's a Linux operating system, and these famously let you do as much tinkering as your heart desires.
Steam Frame: Valve's new wireless VR headset
Steam Machine: Compact living room gaming box
Steam Controller: A controller to replace your mouse
The way to get a custom load screen locked in on the Steam Deck is to ensure your video is a webm file in 1200 x 1800 resolution, and then put it in folder /home/deck/.steam/root/config/uioverrides/movies and save the video in that folder as deck_startup.webm.
There might be a different folder or method than this for the Steam Machine's startup video, but I'd be very surprised if it wasn't possible.
My colleagues and I were talking, earlier, about how cool it will be to be able to see those custom Steam bootup screens on the TV, which will of course be the primary display used for Steam Machines as it's designed as a peculiar console-PC device. For my part, I think my excitement over this shows just how there's a part of me that really longs for that sofa console experience, but with a familiar PC platform.
Throw in some custom faux GameCube shenanigans and some nostalgic Valve audio and I'm sold. Well, provided it's cheap enough, which isn't guaranteed. There's still no word on pricing for either the 512 GB or 2 TB version of the Steam Machine, though my colleagues and I have similar thoughts about what we might be in store for. Fingers crossed.
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