According to a report from a Reddit user expecting delivery of a new Tesla Model X, the electric vehicle maker may be removing support for Valve’s Steam gaming platform in some of its latest car models.
The Reddit user shared a message they received from Tesla stating that for their upcoming Model X Long Range delivery, the company is “updating the gaming computer” and it will “no longer [be] capable of playing Steam games.”
This suggests Tesla is dropping the ability to access the Steam library and play PC games through its infotainment systems on at least the new Model X vehicles.
As of now, there is no indication that other Tesla models like the Model S, 3, or Y will be affected or if the company plans to remove Steam access from existing owners’ cars through a software update. However, recent moves point to Tesla deprioritizing robust gaming capabilities.
The upcoming Cybertruck, for example, will not have Steam support out of the box. Despite upgraded AMD Ryzen processors in newer models, Tesla has not confirmed if Steam will come to its highest-selling Model 3 and Model Y vehicles either.
Over the years, Tesla has also removed certain game titles like Sonic the Hedgehog from its software packages.
CEO Elon Musk had previously touted the gaming performance of Tesla’s hardware, claiming it could run demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 when Steam support first launched in 2022 for the refreshed Model S and X. However, initial 2021 models lacked sufficient RAM for the advertised gaming capabilities until a paid retrofit option was made available later.
Speculation suggests Tesla could be scaling back gaming-oriented hardware in new vehicles as part of cost-cutting measures and a shifting focus towards developing self-driving capabilities for a potential “robotaxi” service under Musk’s new “hardcore” operational approach.
As Tesla appears to be phasing out prioritizing gaming performance, access to platforms like Steam may be getting phased out in favor of potentially lighter local gaming options or no gaming integration at all in future models and cost-trimmed versions.
GameByte 360 
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