A New Cube that Games

Daggerless Dispatch – June 22, 2026

Steam Next Fest Wraps Up With Strong Indie Interest

Steam Next Fest: June 2026 concluded this weekend after running from June 15 to 22. The event featured thousands of demos and saw solid engagement across genres. Several indie titles gained significant wishlist momentum, with horror, exploration, and co-op games performing particularly well during the week.

Major Announcements

Summer Game Fest and its associated showcases continued to generate discussion this week. Sony highlighted God of War: Laufey, while Nintendo confirmed Xenoblade Genesis for Switch 2 and a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Xbox provided further details on Gears of War: E-Day, and additional reveals included new Final Fantasy projects and Stellar Blade content updates.

Valve Hardware Update: New Devices Incoming

Valve provided new information on its upcoming hardware lineup this week. The company is preparing to ship three new devices later this summer: the Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame (a new VR headset). These join the existing Steam Deck as part of Valve’s hardware family, all running SteamOS.

Here’s the latest pricing and configuration details:

• Steam Machine (compact pre-built PC): Starts at $1,049 for the 512GB model. Higher configurations with more storage and bundled accessories reach up to $1,428.
• Steam Controller: Expected to launch alongside the Steam Machine, though exact pricing has not yet been confirmed.
• Steam Frame (VR headset): Positioned as a successor to the Valve Index, with limited pricing details released so far.

Valve has also expanded its Deck Verified program to include ratings for the new Steam Machine and Steam Frame. The devices are currently expected to begin shipping between late June and September 2026.

Indie Highlights

Several indie projects continued to build visibility following Next Fest. Titles such as Gastova: The Witches of Arkana, MOLE, and The Last Salvage Squad saw increased wishlist activity. Developers have noted strong feedback during the event, particularly around gameplay loops and art direction.

Daggerless Verdict

This was a transitional week focused more on upcoming hardware and long-term reveals than immediate releases. Valve’s new hardware push stands out as the biggest story, especially with concrete pricing now available for the Steam Machine. While the full impact won’t be clear until launch, the expansion of SteamOS beyond the Deck is a notable development for PC gaming in the living room.