Random: Steam’s Brand New Game Console Sure Looks Awfully Familiar

Rumours have been rumbling about Valve — the Washington-based developer responsible for creating Steam, but for also bringing us some of the best games ever made such as Half-Life, Portal, and Counter Strike — announcing some brand new hardware for a few days now.

And earlier today, multiple press outlets have revealed they’ve gone hands-on with three new pieces of Steam-compatible kit: a brand new controller, a “streaming-first” headset, and what is basically a game console. The Steam Controller, Steam Frame, and Steam Machine, to give them their proper names.

And while the controller and headset look cool, the Steam Machine is the one that’s caught most people’s eyes, and for good reason: it looks an awful lot like a GameCube, doesn’t it?

The resemblance is pretty striking. The Steam Machine is just a little black cube, measuring at approximately 6-inches, just a little bigger than our favourite purple ‘Cube from the 00s, which comes in at 5.9 × 6.3 × 4.3 inches (sans the Game Boy Player, though the Steam Machine looks like it basically has one of those).

We’re not the only people to make the comparison either; “It’s not an Xbox, it’s not a GameCube” Game File’s Stephen Totilo posted on Bluesky shortly after the Machine’s reveal. The Verge’s Tom Warren opted to give it the cheeky nickname the “GabeCube“.

Still, it is missing a handle, but it does have a customisable face plate. Not quite the same as the little GameCube logo on top of the console, but similar enough. It’s sleek, small, and we’re a little envious.

Our friends over at Digital Foundry have an excellent run-down of the new console (alongside the other two peripherals) if you want more details.

Prices will be revealed at a later date, but the console is due to arrive in early 2026. Oh, but if Valve doesn’t release a handle within a few months of the Steam Machine’s release, well, they’ve missed a trick, we reckon.

But it’s good to see the old cubic design back in full force. The GameCube truly is perfect, design wise, isn’t it?

What do you think of the Steam Machine? Did you immediately think of the GameCube when you saw it? Let us know in the comments.