Get The Steam Controller For $35 USD This Weekend For Your Linux Gaming Needs

[eidolon]

In this article 500 000 steam machines are compared to 10 000 000 PS4...
Not very fair, Sony spent billions in marketing and exclusive titles.

A marketing budget is something within Valve's control. Valve is a multi-billion dollar company. Valve also controls the most popular service in PC gaming, Steam, yet does little to promote Steam Machines via Steam. There was a time when Sony and Microsoft were both new entrants into the console market (and I would argue that was also a time when consoles were slightly less ubiquitous because they hadn't quite fully shed the image of being children's toys), and both Sony and Microsoft managed greater penetration during the first six months of their first console generations.

BTW Steam machines are still not available out of USA.

Of the original 15* manufacturers onboard to release Steam Machines, Alienware, MAINGEAR, Materiel.net, Scan, Syber, and ZOTAC have released Steam Machines: http://store.steampowered.com/sale/machines/.

Material.net (http://www.materiel.net/ordinateur/m...mer-99543.html), Scan (https://www.scan.co.uk/3xs/custom/gaming/steam-machines), and ZOTAC (https://www.zotac.com/product/mini_p...-steam-machine) are not headquartered in the US, and, as one might expect, their Steam Machines are purchasable outside the US.

Of the companies headquartered in the US:
Alienware
In addition to the US, Alienware's Steam Machine is available in at least the following 12 countries: Austria (http://www.dell.com/at/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd); Belgium (http://www.dell.com/be/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd), Canada (http://www.dell.com/ca/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd), Denmark (http://www.dell.com/dk/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd), France (http://www.dell.com/fr/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd), Germany (http://www.dell.com/de/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd), Ireland (http://www.dell.com/ie/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd), Italy (http://www.dell.com/it/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd), the Netherlands (http://www.dell.com/nl/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd), Spain (http://www.dell.com/es/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd), Sweden (http://www.dell.com/se/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd), and the UK (http://www.dell.com/uk/p/alienware-steam-machine/pd). In addition to online orders, the Alienware Steam Machine should also be available from at least the following brick-and-mortar stores outside the US: GAME (in the UK) and EB Games (in Canada). I believe GameStop still has brick-and-mortar exclusivity in the US, although people sometimes get the Alienware Steam Machine confused with the Alienware Alpha and thus report seeing the Alienware Steam Machine in brick-and-mortar stores other than GameStop when what these people are really seeing on display elsewhere is the Alienware Alpha. This being said, I would be surprised if very many individual GameStop stores are still dedicating shelf space for the Alienware Steam Machine.

MAINGEAR
If you attempt to purchase MAINGEAR's Steam Machine (https://www.maingear.com/custom/sff/drift/), there is a button labeled "International Checkout" which you can click during the checkout process, which lists 200+ countries and territories to which MAINGEAR will presumably ship. There is also an option to calculate "U.S. and international shipping estimates", so I assume MAINGEAR ships internationally. Whether, as part of this, MAINGEAR supplies the correct power cord, keyboard, etc. is a question for MAINGEAR's staff.

Syber
Besides the US, Syber will ship to Canada.

*The original 15: Alienware Corporation (Dell Inc.); ALTERNATE GmbH; ASUSTeK Computer Inc.; Digital Storm; Falcon Northwest; GIGA-BYTE Technology Co., Ltd.; iBUYPOWER Computer; MAINGEAR Corporation; Materiel.net (Domisys SAS); NEXT HARDWARE & SOFTWARE SpA; ORIGIN PC Corporation; Scan Computers International Ltd.; Syber (CyberPower, Inc.); Webhallen Sverige AB; ZOTAC International (MCO) Limited

Steam machines seems to be a long time project for Valve, not an instant market killer.

Or it's one of the most apathetic and mismanaged console launches in recent memory. I say console, as Steam Machines are targeted at the "console experience; dedicated gaming box" market. However, they have received less marketing than even some traditional PC hardware.

I can't help but be somewhat reminded of Trip Hawkins' 3DO Interactive Multiplayer and Apple's PiPP!N in terms of how Steam Machines have been handled thus far. I do, however, think it is possible to turn this sluggish, muddled, and inattentive enterprise around.

But there was 1 interressant comment (not from the writer): maybe the Steam Link is canibalizing those machines as console connected to TV.

Introducing the Steam Link on the heels of the Steam Machine initiative was a strategic decision made by Valve, and thus also within Valve's control. I would not be surprised if some of the Steam Machine manufacturers consider the Steam Link to have cannibalized some of their potential Steam Machine sales.

[Passso]

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/0...-machines-doa/

In this article 500 000 steam machines are compared to 10 000 000 PS4...
Not very fair, Sony spent billions in marketing and exclusive titles. BTW Steam machines are still not available out of USA.

Steam machines seems to be a long time project for Valve, not an instant market killer.

But there was 1 interressant comment (not from the writer): maybe the Steam Link is canibalizing those machines as console connected to TV.

[Passso]

Sadly, in Europe the controller is 54 euros, roughly $61...

I just bought it for 38€ +10€ ports in Steam!

[eidolon]

Valve discounted the Steam Link and Steam Controller this week in marking more than 500,000 sales of the Steam Controller. http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...Controller-AMZ

Included in that number are the Steam Controllers bundled with Steam Machines.

"A Valve representative confirmed to Ars that this number includes the controllers that are packaged with every branded Steam Machine sold through Valve's hardware partners."

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/06/its-time-to-declare-valves-steam-machines-doa/

[Mez']

Got one off the store as well for 38€ (weekend 30% discount) + 9€ of shipping (to Belgium).

[johanb]

I see 38,49€ (in France) for this Weekend sale.

Correct, but that is without shipping.

I bought two, but to my surprise you couldn't buy two at the same time and had to do two orders which meant double shipping as well which sucks.

At least they support bitcoin now which is nice.

[humbug]

I have a Steam Controller since January, and I really love it.

The integrated gyro really helps for aiming, as well as the right touchpad that can be configured as a standard joystick camera or as a mouse camera controller (you can even combine both, for example in a 3rd person shoter, use it as joystick camera until you press a modifier button to switch in mouse camera mode).

The ability to share custom bindings with the steam community is nice.

Agreed, it has more flexibility than any other controller. I haven't used my xbox one controller since getting it. The aiming is better than any other controller, while you still have the analog stick for flying etc. I got the gyro nicely setup for driving so I can use the controller like a steering wheel, once you get the sensitivity and dead zones right it's so much more immersive than driving with a regular controller and definitely the next best thing to a wheel. The ability to easily switch between community profiles while in-game is a killer feature.

[LeJimster]

I was waiting for an updated revision, but I really needed a gamepad that works on more games. So I jumped on the sale and grabbed mine from the Steam store. It should turn up in the next few days and I can't wait to try it out.

[EspadaV8]

Guest I'm in Australia too and just bought one. It let me sign-up to a free trial of prime which I will cancel right away

That actually worked fine. Thanks. One ordered and on the way. Shame the link is out of stock.

[rabcor]

Isn't there a revision coming soon? and hmm... maybe I should buy eet.