gamingSunday, June 28, 2026

SteamOS emerges as Windows gaming rival

Today's gaming news is less about new hardware and more about the platforms underneath. A strong argument for SteamOS as a genuine Windows alternative leads the day, while the rising cost of components, blamed on AI chip demand, continues to squeeze consumers. Smaller stories add flavor: a new GameCube decompilation school and a retro-futuristic FPS finding a publisher.

Sources

Platform shifts

Two pieces today look at the forces reshaping what we play games on, one about the OS, the other about the cost of the chips inside.

#01www.pcmag.comJun 28

Forget the Steam Machine: SteamOS Is What PC Gamers Should Be Excited About

Argues the real news isn't Valve's overpriced Steam Machine but SteamOS itself, which is expanding beyond the Steam Deck and could genuinely compete with Windows 11 for gaming.

8 min readRead original

#02www.bbc.comJun 28

Why tech firms are raising PC and console prices - and blaming AI for chip costs

Explains how AI data center demand for chips is driving up component costs, leading Microsoft, Nintendo, and others to raise prices on older hardware, a reversal of the usual tech pricing curve.

8 min readRead original

Decomp and retro

A couple of niche but notable stories for the preservation and indie crowds.

#03decomp-academy.devJun 28

Decomp Academy — Learn GameCube Decompilation (MWCC GC/2.0)

An interactive platform that teaches GameCube decompilation from scratch, using real 2001 compiler output to grade submissions. A deep resource for the preservation community.

#04bleedingcool.comJun 28

505 Games To Officially Publish Retro-Futuristic FPS ExeKiller

505 Games picks up ExeKiller, a retro-futuristic FPS with branching narrative and hacking mechanics. No release date yet, but a publisher with reach gives it a better shot.