Notes

I've written about my love of games for years in various fora. My first foray into running a website with other contributors was a site called Shoryuken (named after the popular uppercut move in Street Fighter). It garnered a pretty decent following, hits and was the first time I did sales-esque outreach to PR companies to share their wares with me. I used my micro-platform on Twitter (RIP) to get a few folks together to contribute to said site, share the games out and off we went writing news, opinions and speculative articles on the industry. And while we didn't specifically focus on Ireland, it having an Irish domain and base kept it moderately concentrated.

All of this was around 2010/11. Probably 10 years hence, I started my own site for myself on another domain, Analogue. I had a thought to let the domain expire in a few weeks and be done with it. But then the intrusive thoughts came along. I've used my initials as a domain for a long time to host my personal blog type stuff. But that domain is very personal (it's my initials) and I think I'd rather separate church-from-state. So I might absolutely obliterate my SEO credibility and switch domains. So, if that happens, watch out on the RSS feed!

But I digress.

The one company I've always admired is Valve, based in the Seattle area. They're founder-led, private and stick to what they know, love and are good at. Increasingly lately, that's hardware. One of my most used pieces of hardware in recent years is my Steam Deck. For which I am the perfect customer, because I have such a vast Steam library. Again, I've written about this before, but I have a week 1 (if not day 1) Steam account thanks to snagging a copy of Half-Life 2 early on the week of release. Those were the halcyon days of my working part-time in Xtra-Vision (the Irish Blockbuster video).

Valve announced new hardware last week, set to release early next year (apparently). A Steam Machine, effectively a PC that targets console performance and pricing with SteamOS and the Steam library backing it. A new Steam controller, which improves over the nearly ten year old first iteration in nearly every way (two analogue sticks!!). And Frame, their next generation VR headset.

All of this is incredibly exciting as a customer. It's also exciting for the Linux community, as SteamOS has done more to bring Linux to the masses then any of the thick-rimmed glasses wearing opinionated and angry gatekeeper nerds have ever done. To use gaming the trojan horse for Linux is a stroke of genius. And of course, we're always going to be in a Windows-vs-Linux performance conversation but over time, that'll get put to bed.

Valve continues to iterate in a way that's inspiring. I'm lucky to work for a company that's also founder-led, private and sticks to it's core values as it iteratively improves and innovates.

Do I need a new PC? Probably not. I have a decent one that performs excellently for the few games I need it for (largely racing sims or Counter-Strike). I also have a PS5 under my TV. And the Steam Machine kind-of sits somewhere below the PS5 performance-wise if the specs are anything to go by.

Will I buy a Steam Machine to give me access to my hundreds of games in the library under my TV next year? And the new controller to enjoy more complex games on said TV (with accompanying surround sound etc. etc.)? Ab-so-feckin-lutely.

I love it when I see iterative progress in real time with hard, complex, global audiences being reached. Valve is by all accounts a niche company with a very niche audience. They have a few hundred employees and millions of customers. Which is in itself inspiring.

All we need now is Half Life 3 to be announced.

Contrast all of this with Apple. There's a mild rumour that Tim Cook will leave the hot seat in 2026. A theme we're seeing across a lot of consumer brands and tech. Probably in anticipation of a recession, which will hit luxury goods more than anything else because said recession is likely in-place today, and less traditional recession than a 'meh' economic climate.

Apple have not innovated. They've certainly iteratively improved. And my word, their hardware department is on fire, particularly their silicon advancements. But everything else feels a bit like 2026's economic outlook: a bit 'meh'. I got the new iPhone thanks to a friends' discount, and because my prior one was a few years old. And while the camera is nice, the hardware feels good and the colour is lovely, when you look at the screen, it's the same-old iOS. With the same-old apps. Because there's nothing particularly new or innovative about the way Apple do things. Heck, they added some new button to do AI pictures which I've used exclusively by accident because the button is in a completely useless position with completely useless features behind it.

My MacBook Pro M4 is utterly insane performance-wise. But you'd never know because macOS is utterly bloated and filled with junkyard features. It truly is Apple's answer to Windows Vista. Except the hardware is so good it forgives how shoddy the software is. Whereas Vista was bloated rubbish that ran on equally rubbish hardware, thus was found-out very quickly.

Apple need innovative voices in the room. Right now they operate quarter-over-quarter for the sake of earnings. And their customers are far less passionate than ever before. Because it's all a bit 'meh'.

I'll use Valve as a tent-pole here but there are other anchor tenants in the world of innovation, iteration and wonderful thoughtful design. Teenage Engineering is another company I admire. Small, global scale, incredible thoughtful hardware and software that brings joy to their audience.

I wish we had a computer company doing the same thing for laptops and phones. I despise Android's user interface. I also want to support smaller companies. Surely someone is doing something interesting out there?

Tabs

Tune

The Soft Moon - Become the lies

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