It even looked like a unified platform that could help simplify the notoriously complex world of PC gaming, making it accessible to a more casual audience. They also make it even less clear just what a Steam Machine is, who its for, and why its preferable to a traditional gaming PC. For instance, Xi3 was widely believed to be building one of the first Steam Machines, after its tiny Piston computer showed up in Valves booth at CES last year.