Why Valve Needs The Steam Deck 2 — And Soon

No one can deny that the Steam Deck is a genre-defining device that sets a new standard for portable gaming devices, but the technology is advancing very quickly.

Despite Steam Deck only being released in early 2022, Valve already has a lot more competition. Since its release, we've seen handheld gaming consoles popping up everywhere - old-timers like Ayaneo and Ayn have gotten their money's worth and released high-end consoles with the Ayaneo Kun and Ayn Loki Max.

Even Asus and Lenovo have recently entered the mobile market with some promising offerings. Without an immediate follow-up to the Steam Deck and the release of more advanced games, Valve is leaving the market wide open for the competition to gain traction.

Just a valve thing

The Steam Deck is still at the forefront of modern portable gaming hardware, but other brands aren't wasting any time. The Asus ROG Ally is a direct competitor to the Steam Deck, but offers a better processor and display in a thinner chassis. This alone was enough to wake up Valve and impress the Steam Deck with some significant improvements.

However, Valve appears to be taking the opposite approach, with Steam Deck designer Pierre-Loup Griffet telling The Verge that we'll be waiting until at least the end of 2025 for Steam Deck 2 . Tom's Guide saw that a new version of the Steam Deck is currently going through the FCC certification process, but this is just one of many steps in the long journey until the original version is released. In addition, this application may only offer updates and not the full complement of Steam Deck.

It may seem strange that Valve hasn't speeded up Steam Deck 2, but it's on brand for the company. Valve likes to come up with great plans for a device and then let the rest of the industry catch up. The company did the same with the successful Valve Index VR headset.

Will the steam surface survive?

We'd be happy to wait for Valve to deliver a high-quality replacement version of the Steam Deck rather than a quick sequel, but not everyone is so patient. Frustrated gamers looking for a premium laptop — and perhaps better specs — haven't ruled out looking elsewhere.

The market already offers more powerful Steam Deck laptops. We've looked at options like the pricey Oneexplayer 2 and a long list of alternative portables from Ayaneo. The question now is: Will Valve be the first to master the next generation of mobile devices, or will another player step in to fill the void?

Learn something new every day

You'll never be satisfied with Steam Deck 2