The Steam Deck console from Valve will be updated with new features post-launch, according to the designers. These updates will also expand upon existing features the console has, ideally making them more intuitive for users.
The Steam Deck was announced in July. The console is essentially a portable PC, able to play games from the user's Steam library. It is, in some ways, very similar to the Nintendo Switch, though of course it targets PC players more than Nintendo enthusiasts. The Steam Deck's larger library and ability to play Xbox titles give it some advantages over Nintendo's handheld console. However, it also runs at a steeper price - $400 US for the cheapest model, as opposed to $300 for the Switch.
In an interview with Rock Paper Shotgun, Steam Deck designers Greg Coomer and Lawrence Yang clarified the console would be updated post-launch. These updates will add new features to the system. One example they mentioned is the ability to seamlessly move from playing a game on PC to the Steam Deck. There may even be multiple methods of doing so. One could opt to stream from the original device, or they could use a cloud save to resume play. They also say that some updates will be introduced following player feedback. The team wants to be able to give players the features they request, if possible. Feedback from test players has so far been positive.
Yang and Coomer say that the updates will be expanding on features the Steam Deck already has. The aforementioned ability to pick up a game from a PC on the console is already possible, they say. These updates will expand on this ability and add more options. They also explain that there won't be any hidden features activated post-launch. The Steam Controller, currently the subject of a lawsuit, had a pretty infamous example of this. "We had a latent gyroscope that was embedded in the Steam Controller that was not actually functional until the Steam Controller had been out for a while," says Coomer, "and then we shipped an update that changed the firmware to turn that functionality on. There isn't something secret embedded in the Steam Deck that we're going to turn on later."
The Steam Deck is already shaping up to be a major player in the console market. Pre-orders were seen going for ludicrous prices on eBay shortly after the reveal. Having the firmware be updated to include new features could make it even more appealing. Granted, the features that could be implemented are still a mystery. Potential updates will also have to work on all the different models, as well. This theoretically could limit what new features are added. But there are still many options left for what could be added to the system. The Steam Deck may just be the ultimate console for players. It's up to Valve to give them the tools and features they desire.
The Steam Deck launches in December 2021.
Source: Rock Paper Shotgun