Valve has shared its final requirements for games to be eligible for the Steam Machine Verified and Steam Frame Verified badges. These let Steam users quickly check whether a game is compatible with their Valve hardware, ensuring a hassle-free experience.
New information about its upcoming gaming systems was made available at GDC 2026, where Valve discussed recommended resolution and frame rate for games, as well as the requirements needed to claim the Verified label on the Steam store. Though all Valve hardware shares the same controller requirements, resolution and UI criteria differ from one system to the other.
Starting with the much-awaited Steam Machine, for a game to be Verified, it needs to have the same input expectations as the Steam Deck – i.e. full support for controller-only input – and be able to reach 30fps at 1080p resolution. This shouldn’t be an issue since the Steam Machine boasts 6x the performance of the Steam Deck, according to Valve.
Games that lack full controller support, including requiring mouse input to navigate menus, will instead be listed as Steam Machine Playable. Games that couldn’t run on the Steam Deck due to performance limitations will get a Machine Test badge, while games unable to run on SteamOS will be marked as Machine Unsupported. This means that more than 25,000 titles should be playable day one on the Steam Machine when it launches later this year.
As expected given Steam Machine’s stronger specs, which as a reminder are somewhat similar to a PlayStation 5, all Steam Deck Verified games will automatically be Steam Machine Verified. However, since the Steam Machine can be hooked-up to different types of displays through its HDMI connection, resolution and UI scaling legibility won’t be required for eligibility.
A combination of modest and purportedly affordable specs, coupled with the possibility of swapping the operating system or using it as a productivity PC, could make the Steam Machine more appealing than a next-generation Xbox, which is rumoured to demand over $1,000. Though some leakers claim that the Xbox will be a hybrid machine featuring a Windows-based OS, SteamOS’ open nature and lower overhead could make for an intriguing alternative.
For the virtual reality Steam Frame, Valve’s verification program is simpler; any performance hiccups with the Steam Deck or incompatibility with SteamOS is an automatic Frame Unsupported rating. While all Steam Deck Verified games are eligible for the Frame Test badge, Valve does require 90fps in standalone VR titles and 30fps at 1280×720 in 2D titles. Note that these rules apply to standalone play only since the Steam Frame is also capable of connecting to a Steam Machine or PC. UI legibility and full controller support are also key conditions to become Verified.
While any Steam Machine details are welcome as we approach a reported late-2026 release date, crucial pricing information remains a mystery. There are also question marks over whether Valve can navigate the memory crisis and hit the estimated release window. With next-generation Xbox and PlayStation game consoles not expected until late 2027, Valve will certainly want to take full advantage of Steam Machine’s head start.
