A Steam Machine fan has turned Valve’s compact gaming PC design into something very different: a 3D printed tissue box holder.
The project recreates the Steam Machine’s exterior at roughly full scale and is designed to hold a smaller tissue box that slides in from the rear. The front remains clean, preserving the look of Valve’s hardware while turning it into a decorative household item.
The design files are available in versions labeled 512GB and 2TB, matching the storage capacities associated with the real hardware rather than offering any functional storage.
Steam Machine tissue box details
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project type | 3D printed tissue box holder |
| Inspiration | Valve Steam Machine |
| Scale | Approximately 1:1 |
| Tissue loading | Rear access |
| Front design | Clean replica style |
| Versions | 512GB and 2TB themed models |
| Faceplates | Supports magnetic swapping |
| Magnets | Must be supplied separately |
| Files | Available for 3D printing |
The creator said the project came from liking the Steam Machine’s appearance while not wanting to spend four figures on the actual gaming system.
Instead of buying the hardware, the fan recreated its shape and proportions as a functional object for the home.
Magnetic faceplates carry over from the real design
One of the more detailed parts of the project is support for magnetically swappable front plates.
That means the tissue box can use interchangeable faceplates similar to the system that Valve built into the Steam Machine itself.
You need to provide the magnets separately, but the printed design is made to accommodate them.
The feature gives the replica more than a passing visual resemblance to the original hardware. It also preserves one of the Steam Machine’s more distinctive physical design elements.
The 512GB and 2TB versions are mostly for fun
The files are offered in 512GB and 2TB variants, but those labels are purely decorative.
There is no SSD inside the project unless someone chooses to modify it further.
The naming is a small joke built around storage tiers and the rising cost of PC components.
The tissue box itself is designed so that a smaller commercial tissue package can slide into the rear of the enclosure, keeping the visible front uninterrupted.
Gaming hardware continues to inspire novelty designs
This is not the first time gaming hardware has been adapted into something unexpected.
The Xbox Series X has already inspired an officially licensed mini fridge because of its rectangular tower shape, while the PlayStation 5 has regularly been compared with household electronics and other objects because of its distinctive design.
The Steam Machine’s compact cube shaped chassis lends itself particularly well to this kind of recreation.
Its simple geometry also makes it suitable for 3D printing compared with more complex console shells.
A low cost way to copy the Steam Machine look
The project is mainly a novelty, but it shows how 3D printing can reproduce recognizable hardware designs without needing the original device.
For anyone who likes the Steam Machine’s appearance but has no interest in buying one, the tissue box version offers a much cheaper decorative alternative.
It also remains customizable because the print files and replaceable front panels make it possible to alter the final look.
The result will not run Steam games, store a library or replace a gaming PC, but it does recreate the Steam Machine’s visual style closely enough to work as a desk or living room accessory.
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