SteamDB owner Pavel Djundik is a saint, as far as I’m concerned. The guy tirelessly combs through every new Steam update searching for bytes that might reveal what Valve is up to, from upcoming sales to new and exciting Steam features. It’s a thankless job that often puts him in the sights of publishers that don’t understand he’s just providing a public service.
And today, Djundik might have uncovered his greatest find to date. Buried in the most recent Steam beta client update were lines of code referring to "controller bindings, new UI strings such as quick access menu, system settings (airplane mode, wifi, Bluetooth) and a power menu." According to Djundik’s expert opinion, Valve might be working on a handheld console.
The handheld could be called "SteamPal" according to references in the code, with an internal codename of "Neptune." Airplane, Wifi, and Bluetooth are the big giveaways for a handheld console since no home console would ever need an airplane mode, and "SteamPal" certainly has a handheld ring to it.
There was also code referencing a "Callisto Developer Program," which sounds like a codename to bring on third-party developers.
This all seems extremely related to comments made by Valve CEO Gabe Newell earlier this month at a New Zealand high school. When asked by a student if Steam would eventually find its way to consoles like Xbox and PlayStation, he responded with a most curious message.
"You will get a better idea of that by the end of this year," Newell said, followed by a gasp from the crowd.
A Steam handheld would most likely be a handheld PC--a device that isn't exactly unheard of but has never really caught on in wider gaming circles. They're essentially tablets with beefed-up specs and built-in controllers on the side, such as this Switch lookalike from Aya.
On the plus side, you have all the flexibility of a laptop/tablet but all the portability of a handheld console. On the downside, handhelds never boast the power of a stationary PC, so you'll never get something like Cyberpunk 2077 playing at ultra settings.
That said, there are plenty of Steam games available with modest hardware requirements, and a Steam handheld might be a great idea. Let's hope it fares a little better than the Steam Controller did.