Valve is stepping up their retail presence in the coming months, as their hardware will be sold in game retailers.
The company has signed deals with GameStop, EB Games, and GAME UK so that those stores can carry Steam Controller, Steam Link, and Steam Machines.
While these retailers would have found ways to get stocks of these hardware if this deal didn’t push through, Valve approaching the retailers themselves is a significant step. The game company seems eager to demonstrate that their digital games business can coexist alongside game retail. This can also be seen as a step forward in the upcoming fight in the marketplace with Microsoft’s Windows 10, and gaming capable Windows 10 devices.
GameStop made earlier statements that they wanted their company to be the destination for VR, so it is highly likely Valve will cut deals with them to sell the Vive VR headsets as well.
Are you looking forward to buying a Steam Controller in your local game shop, or are you upgrading to significantly more? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.