When in the annals of gaming history the original Steam Machine was announced to the world in 2015, it held forth a promise of revolutionizing the gaming experience as we knew it. A celestial fusion of console and PC, it captured the attention of many. Alas, fate had other plans as its performance faltered, leading disillusioned players back to the comforting bosom of traditional PC gaming. The lofty price tag proved to be its undoing, resulting in Valve selling less than 500,000 units. Yet, despite its fall from grace, the Steam Machine garnered a legion of devoted followers who have long awaited a resurrection. And lo, it seems their prayers may soon be answered.
A keen-eyed Reddit voyager by the name of u/coolbho3k recently espied a cryptic mention of the Fremont project within the fabric of the Steam Deck kernel. While the code conceals the true nature of Fremont’s existence, it does make reference to a wondrous realm known as AMD Lilac. Further clues have surfaced in the realm of Geekbench, where this enigmatic platform outshines even the mighty Steam Deck. Speculation abounds that this could signal the dawn of a new era — a television or set-top box, as soothsayers at Tom’s Hardware prophesy.
Behold, the Lilac reference is not a newcomer to this game; it made its debut over two orbits of the sun ago. This bodes well, suggesting that Valve is not the sole shepherd tending to this chip.
A curious allusion to HDMI-CEC, a feature rarely glimpsed in handheld devices, tantalizes with its secrets. Could this be a nod to the realm of Google, whispering tales of Chromebooks and their mystical drivers? Our herald u/coolbho3k gazes into the crystal ball, musing on the possible entanglement of Google in this unfolding saga.
Should Fremont emerge as a phoenix reborn in the form of a new Steam Machine, it may wield the power of streaming akin to the legendary Nvidia Shield. Should the fates align Google and Steam in a celestial dance, ushering forth ChromeOS to this grand stage, a brave new world may unfurl before us, where ChromeOS and SteamOS converge, perhaps even welcoming the Google Play store into their embrace.
Much of this remains shrouded in the mists of speculation until Valve deigns to unveil the truth behind the veil. As history recalls, the first Steam Deck was unveiled at CES in the year 2014, lending a semblance of symmetry to the unfolding narrative. With CES 2025 looming on the horizon, it beckons as the perfect moment for Valve to make their proclamation of a successor. And whispers of a companion to the Steam Controller only add to the tapestry of evidence hinting at a new dawn on the horizon.
