Steam now has a maddening bouncing logo screensaver, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't perfectly hit the corners
Valve released a Steam client update featuring a new bouncing logo screensaver in Big Picture Mode, alongside performance improvements and codec additions for Remote Play.
Valve pushed a major Steam client update today, with Big Picture Mode receiving significant changes. The most notable addition is the now-public screensaver feature, previously in beta. By default, it cycles art from recently played games and screenshots, but users can upload custom images. A new dropdown menu under Settings / Customization allows selecting a retro-inspired bouncing logo screensaver, where the Steam logo ricochets across a black screen, shifting colors at each edge. The update also includes unspecified startup performance improvements and a new experimental video codec, Pyrowave, for Remote Play.
The bouncing logo screensaver mimics the infamous DVD Video logo screensaver from the late 1990s and early 2000s, which became a cultural touchstone due to its hypnotic, maddening effect. The screensaver’s unpredictable bouncing pattern rarely results in the logo hitting a corner, a phenomenon that frustrated many viewers. The feature has resurfaced in popular culture, even appearing as an interactive Google logo and earning a dedicated Wikipedia page. Valve’s version follows the same design, with the Steam logo perpetually eluding a perfect corner strike.
The update introduces a range of minor improvements to Big Picture Mode, which is particularly relevant for Steam Machine and Steam Deck users. Linux users also receive a bundle of tweaks and fixes. While the changes are described as substantial compared to typical updates, the focus remains on refining the user experience in Big Picture Mode. The full list of updates is detailed in the release notes, which are notably extensive.
The author strongly advises against enabling the bouncing logo screensaver, describing it as psychologically damaging and capable of inducing despair. The screensaver’s hypnotic, repetitive motion is compared to the destructive potential of smartphone screens, though the author concedes smartphones have spared users from this particular torment. The recommendation is unequivocal: avoid the screensaver entirely, even as a joke, to prevent potential long-term psychological effects.