Steam Machines could launch in time for Christmas 2014

Valve’s Steam Machines could launch this autumn or winter, according to new reports related to the release window for the microconsole’s custom controller.

The Steam controller may arrive this October or November, PC Gamer reports after speaking to a “trusted hardware source” at PAX East.

The source believed that this means that Valve’s hotly awaited Steam Machines could be released shortly afterwards, possibly in time for Christmas.

The source added that Valve expects the number of games to be natively playable on SteamOS to jump from the current count of 382 to about 500 by the end of 2014.

At the start of the year, Valve ditched plans for a touchscreen in the centre of the controller, instead sticking with the concave touch pads and eight-function buttons.