Ben Mooneybenmo@sunny.garden
Jun 24, 2026, 5:06 PMBetween the price of hardware and the proliferation of AI in video game development, maybe from here on out only play video games released before 2026.
Replies
- Ben Mooneybenmo@sunny.gardenJun 24, 2026, 5:10 PM
I’ve got an AYN Thor getting delivered within the next week (which don’t get me wrong, was also quite expensive!) and so maybe that just becomes my primary console. I’ll just play retro games and whatever light Steam games will run on it. Anything more modern I’ll just skip.
Crest of LightWanderingInDigitalWorlds@sunny.gardenJun 24, 2026, 5:12 PM@benmo I am taking a very hard look at every game that comes out past 2026. There are very few developers that I would even consider buying and playing their game at this stage in the LLM hope-huffing cycle.
Like any AAA game is out of the question, I can't foresee myself buying another from any of the big publishers anytime soon.
Mostly indies that have a proven track record of being against LLMs.
- Ben Mooneybenmo@sunny.gardenJun 24, 2026, 5:25 PM
@WanderingInDigitalWorlds I already bought a Switch 2 last year but I’m thinking there’s a real chance it’s the last console I ever buy. It’s a bleak time.
- Crest of LightWanderingInDigitalWorlds@sunny.gardenJun 24, 2026, 5:27 PM
@benmo Yeah, it is a bleak time to the point I outright decided that buying a Switch 2 or any console would probably be a poor choice.
I am eyeing the Steam Machine, but that is because it is a quasi-console with Steam and Desktop capabilities.
Still, it is much cheaper than a prebuilt PC that you could buy from any Linux PC seller.
- Ben Mooneybenmo@sunny.gardenJun 24, 2026, 5:33 PM
@WanderingInDigitalWorlds I’m really on the fence about the Steam Machine. I signed up to be in consideration for getting to buy one but even if I get selected I don’t know if I’m going to do it.
A small, Steam-centric machine hooked up to my living room TV is exactly what I want, but ooof that price. It’s a hard pill to swallow.
- Crest of LightWanderingInDigitalWorlds@sunny.gardenJun 24, 2026, 5:38 PM
@benmo Yeah, Valve wanted the base Steam Machine to be $750 range before the hardware crisis caused by all the usual suspects to make LLMs fetch (which they never will be). I remind myself that a prebuilt is $2,000 dollars before taxes or future proofing hardware.
So the Steam Machine doesn't hurt too much, but it does fucking sting because the situation would've been different if only corporations weren't so desperate to be taken advantage of by Grade A bullshitters. Only NVIDIA is making bank during this LLM Craze and that is telling.
- Ben Mooneybenmo@sunny.gardenJun 24, 2026, 5:46 PM
@WanderingInDigitalWorlds $750 would be an instant buy from me. It is right in the range of whatever other mini PC I would use instead of a Steam Machine with a little more power. But I realize they’re hit by hardware prices just like we are.
- Crest of LightWanderingInDigitalWorlds@sunny.gardenJun 24, 2026, 5:48 PM
@benmo 100% agree man, I entertain a wish in my entire being to be able to fork the timeline towards one where LLMs get laughed out of the market. Where we could have a $750 Steam Machine and be happy as a clam about it.