The Steam Machine design makes for a frightfully good tissue box, and now you can 3D print your own
A Reddit user has created and shared a 3D-printable design for a tissue box cover styled after Valve’s Steam Machine, allowing gaming enthusiasts to bring a nostalgic piece of gaming hardware into their homes—albeit in tissue-dispensing form. The design, created by a user named Boyso and available on MakerWorld, captures the distinctive aesthetic of the original Steam Machine without any of the actual internal gaming components. The creator provides default print profiles optimized for 0.4mm printer nozzles to ensure successful 3D printing. While functionally just a tissue box, the novelty item has generated interest in the gaming community. This project exemplifies the maker community’s creative approach to gaming nostalgia, transforming recognizable gaming hardware designs into practical, humorous household items. The Steam Machine, Valve’s venture into console gaming powered by SteamOS, may have had limited commercial success, but it clearly maintains cultural resonance among gamers and makers who continue to engage with its iconic design. The project showcases how beloved gaming hardware—even products that didn’t achieve mainstream adoption—can inspire creative derivative works that blend gaming culture with everyday utility.