A successor to the Steam Deck will be coming, but fans should not hope for an early release because Valve has set conditions for the technology.
It would have been pretty simple for fans: some time passes and Valve launches a Steam Deck 2. But it won't be quite that simple, as Valve designer Lawrence Yang has now suggested. Rumors had already surfaced that Valve might already be working on a Steam Deck 2 - at the same time, some fans took this as an indication that a release was already imminent. Valve is clearly setting conditions for technological progress. Only then can we expect a Steam Deck 2.
Steam Deck: Not Old Yet
The Steam Deck only came onto the market in early 2022. At least compared to the now eight-year-old Nintendo Switch That's not old. Nevertheless, the ravages of time quickly wear away at technology - handhelds must therefore be moved to a new generation just as regularly as stationary consoles. Otherwise, over time, the purchasing incentives necessary for good sales will be lost. In short: the Steam Deck 2 has to come sooner or later.
And according to the latest information, the successor will come later rather than sooner. Lawrence Yang explained to the platform "Reviews" that they would not release something just for the sake of releasing it. A slightly improved version of the Steam Deck is not a concept for a real successor. If you follow the Valve designer's statements, it could take even longer: Valve is prepared to wait for a real generational leap. Only then will a Steam Deck 2 be released.
At the moment, the requirements that Valve has defined for a successor are apparently not met. This may change in the coming months and will certainly be reassessed - but at the moment, fans should not have high hopes that Valve will suddenly announce a Steam Deck 2.
According to Yang, it is particularly worth mentioning that they have not planned to release products on an annual basis. There is no reason for this, explains the designer. And it is not fair to the customers, Yang reveals in the interview.
What exactly the generational leap means is unclear, but Yang was referring specifically to computing power. More power with at least the same battery life - that's what the next generation for Valve's handheld could look like. It doesn't necessarily have to be real innovations, which in turn increases the chances of a Steam Deck 2 being released in the foreseeable future.
Lawrence Yang also stated that Valve is already working on the second generation of the Steam Deck. However, it remains unclear what exactly this project currently looks like. The company has probably focused more on conceptual considerations so far, because the technology is obviously not available yet.
One consolation for fans of the handheld is that Valve will most likely bring a successor to the market.
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AVerMedia Steam Deck Dock with HDMI 4K@60Hz, USB-C charging,... * |
199,99 EUR |
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