TL;DR
- Valve just shared details on the start of Steam Machine sales.
- dbrand is also getting pre-orders started of its custom skin that transforms the console into a Portal Companion Cube.
- The Companion Cube alone will sell for $99.95, or be available as a $129.95 deluxe package.
PC gamers already have plenty of options available to them for getting their games off of monitors tucked away in bedrooms and offices, and out onto the big screens of our living rooms, but that hasn’t stopped demand for a proper, dedicated hardware solution from one of the biggest names in the industry: Steam. Last fall, Valve announced some major product launches, including the Steam Machine console, and this week, we finally get the details on how those (very expensive) sales will begin. As those get ready to open, dbrand is jumping in with news of pre-orders for its utterly inspired Steam Machine add-on, a custom Companion Cube skin.
“Skin” might be a bit of a misnomer, because this is no simple vinyl wrap or sticker. The company has designed a fully 3D enclosure crafted from polyurethane and polycarbonate that faithfully recreates the look of the beloved Companion Cube from Valve’s classic first-person puzzle game Portal.
The attention to detail here looks particularly impressive, pulling off a cohesive look while still including functional elements like cutouts to ensure proper airflow, adjustable feet height, removable covers for front I/O ports, and a pass-through strip for the Stream Machine’s illuminated LED bar.
Sounds pretty hot, right? So, what’s this S-tier Steam Machine accessory going to run you?
Well, just like Steam Machine itself, dbrand’s Companion Cube doesn’t come cheap — but you do have a choice here about just how much you want to spend. If you can live with just the Cube itself, dbrand will sell you what it dubs the Poverty Cube package for $99.95.
If you’re looking to splurge, however, the full $129.95 setup includes a fancy box that unfolds to become a Test Chamber diorama, a button stand to rest your Cube on, cake-adorned suede cloth (it’s real!), and even a custom Test Chamber Steam Controller skin to really complete the look.
Unlike the Steam Machine itself, though, getting your hands on the Companion Cube looks pretty easy. Pre-orders are open now on dbrand’s website, with the deluxe Companion Cube set on track to begin shipping in September, and the basic Poverty Cube option going out to customers starting in October.
According to dbrand, pre-orders are off to a better-than-expected pace, hinting that Valve already has a winner on its hand with this new hardware.
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