JakobFel

Yeah, a lot of people don't seem to understand just how valuable our retro game collection can be. A lot of people think it's just about holding onto the past, but it's more than that. Not to mention the fact that the games you really loved for the consoles you really loved can hold very deep sentimental value that you shouldn't be forced to give up.

This is exactly why we have these issues like we're dealing with with the Switch 2. Console gamers are only focused on hardware and exclusivity, they're not focused on the operating system of the device, the build quality of the product itself (including the ergonomics), nor do they care about the company that produces it beyond their basic fanboy tendencies.

Steam Deck's competitors might have slightly better hardware or a higher resolution, but none of them are right to repair friendly. None of them have custom software literally designed for the product, and none of them have the sort of ergonomics that the Steam Deck has. Not to mention the fact that Valve is an American company, which might not be important to everybody, but it is important to me. They're also a company that has proven themselves to be largely consumer-friendly.

While I'm not dissing anybody who does make the choice to go for an Ally or a Legion Go, the problem I have is that those devices are literally just another hardware company jumping on a band wagon. The Steam Deck completely revolutionized the way that we play on PC. Sure, it took inspiration from the original Switch. There's no question about that. But that doesn't mean that Valve was just jumping on a band wagon the way that ASUS and Lenovo are doing.

Valve literally spent years working with Linux developers on software that makes Linux gaming truly viable in order to create devices that allow you to run virtually any game on a handheld that you fully own, are allowed to put any game on (including games from other launchers, which they didn't have to allow) and you're fully allowed to self-repair it if any issues arise. Meanwhile, companies like ASUS and Lenovo treat their customers more like smartphone ~~suckers~~ customers, not to mention the fact that they went the cheap and easy route of just using Windows, which isn't optimized for a device like these. And guess what? Lenovo is bending the knee to the Steam Deck supremacy by allowing you to get a version with SteamOS in the future. That alone proves that Valve is one step ahead of their competition.

To summarize all that I said, the reason the Steam Deck is so good is not just the hardware, it's not just the screen, it's the fact that it's a very capable device at the hardware level, combined with very, very good software and a very consumer-friendly company behind it all.

There are boatloads of things that we don't have tangible, irrefutable evidence for, yet we believe in. It's called faith. You have faith in things, you just don't want to admit it. And just because I have faith in things that you don't doesn't mean that I don't have the right to have that faith.

Nintendo keeps shooting themselves in the foot. On one hand, as a PCMRer and massive fan of Valve, I'm glad to see how many are open to moving over here. On the other hand, Nintendo was the last console manufacturer I actually liked (despite their anti-emulation crusade) and so it's like a death of an era.

The future really is in console-like PCs a la the Steam Deck and Valve's upcoming Fremont.

Easily. Aside from the first party titles, there's literally no reason to get a Switch 2. Everything else is objectively better on a PC handheld (especially the Deck).

I'd love to set up emulation on my phone but I don't have a controller for my phone and I have a Steam Deck for portable emulation. Still, using the actual hardware is ideal, I just wish I knew where my DS and its charger went!

I haven't used an Ally and I love Steam but objectively, I'd recommend the Deck. Phenomenal ergonomics, amazing software (Bazzite is good but doesn't compare), good build quality, right-to-repair friendly, Valve is an American business (not important to everyone but it is to me) and you'd be supporting a company that has done nothing but make PC gaming amazing.

I get that, I just hope they don't end up disappointed and go back to Winblows.

I definitely would love to come back if I ever find the time! I had a blast with it back in the day.

Terminal usage is inevitable with Linux. It's not as scary as it seems and can actually create a sense of accomplishment when you use it. Pop is a solid distro for sure but you don't need a "gaming distro" to game on Linux these days (not that Pop is a gaming distro specifically). There's actually a Linux Experiment video where he proves this with a thorough test. All major distros work fine for gaming.

I encourage people to not go for SteamOS unless you're setting up a PC you want to use solely as a home console, or if you're flashing it to a different handheld.

That, all coming from a big Valve fan. I simply don't think it's a good idea for people to get their hopes up over SteamOS somehow being a no-terminal, peak gaming Linux experience. I also don't think it's a good idea to hold off until SteamOS gets its full PC release, because most major distros today will work just as well. It'd literally only benefit people to start learning Linux now so that by the full SteamOS launch, they'll be more informed as to whether it'll be something they'll find useful enough to use as a daily driver.

Haven't played in ages but I was obsessed during the summer of 2014. I always played TR, they feel like the most "legit" faction in the series. As for favorite class, heavy assault was always my go-to.