Valve has provided an update on the Steam Deck that clarifies when buyers may get their hands on its new handheld console. Valve’s first foray into the handheld game console market was one of the most anticipated new products of 2022. While it was initially slated for release in December 2021, the Steam Deck’s release was delayed by two months due to the ongoing component supply shortage that has affected hardware manufacturers for the past couple of years.
Fortunately, the two-month delay proved to be enough time for Valve to be able to finally begin shipping out the Steam Deck in February. In the run-up to the handheld console's release, Valve also launched its Steam Deck compatibility check feature, which lets users easily see whether a game in Steam’s library is either verified to fully work on the console, playable but with adjustments, or currently unsupported on the device. Valve has worked with developers to make their games fully compatible with the new console and within a week of its launch, the Steam Deck already had 1,000 verified games.
In a recent Tweet, Valve announced that it has begun ramping up Steam Deck shipments and will be sending out more order availability emails every week. It even plans to send out the emails once or twice a week, potentially doubling its rate of fulfillment. The company has also updated the Steam Deck’s product page to show when one can expect to be able to finalize their order after they pay a $5 reservation fee. To be clear, that only refers to when someone will be able to actually complete their Steam Deck order and not when they’ll actually receive it. However, Valve has said that it plans to make the handheld console available in more countries by the end of the year, signaling that it expects its supply to become more stable by then.
However, those who have successfully purchased the new console have called for more discreet Steam Deck packaging from Valve due to instances of consoles being stolen off doorsteps. More discreet packaging would help prevent thieves from identifying that a package contains a Steam Deck inside and discourage them from trying to take it.
Those interested in purchasing a Steam Deck may still have to wait a long while before they get their hands on it, given that new reservations have an estimated completion of sometime in the last quarter of 2022. But at least customers will now have a clearer picture of when they can expect to finally get a Steam Deck.
Source: Valve/Twitter