Steam Link PC game streaming will be built into future Samsung TVs

The next time you're in the market for a new TV  for gaming, you may want to give special attention to Samsung's range. 

It's just been announced that the company intends to integrate Valve's Steam Link streaming tech into its future televisions.

The news comes from the Steam Spy Twitter account (as reported by GameSpot), based on an announcement made during the Steam Dev Days conference.

Steam Link allows a PC gamer to beam games from their souped-up computers to another low-powered device, essentially offering a Netflix-like stream of the video content produced by the gaming machine that can be controlled remotely. Essentially, a game running on your PC can be played in your living room without having to lug your machine about.

Steamsung

So, what's the benefit of having Steam Link built into your TV?

Well, it frees up a HDMI port for starters. Whether you buy a dedicated Steam Link box or are using a laptop using Steam streaming, in the past you've needed another device hooked up to your television to use the feature. 

You'll still need a gaming PC to take advantage of the feature in the first place of course, and you'll need a controller or mouse and keyboard combo to actually play. It'll be interesting to see if Samsung bundles any of this in with the TVs, like Valve's own unusual Steam Controller.

But it's an interesting move by both Samsung and Steam. Samsung hasn't got any platform of its own to compete with Sony's PlayStation Now game streaming option, while Valve's Steam Machine push for the living room has only been met with middling success so far.

Gerald Lynch

Gerald is Editor-in-Chief of iMore.com. Previously he was the Executive Editor for TechRadar, taking care of the site's home cinema, gaming, smart home, entertainment and audio output. He loves gaming, but don't expect him to play with you unless your console is hooked up to a 4K HDR screen and a 7.1 surround system. Before TechRadar, Gerald was Editor of Gizmodo UK. He is also the author of 'Get Technology: Upgrade Your Future', published by Aurum Press.