What you need to know
- Valve is working on a Steam Deck 2, though little is known about the upcoming handheld gaming console.
- The Steam Deck helped spark interest in mobile PC gaming and inspired several similar devices.
- Valve Product Designer Lawrence Yang told Bloomberg that a Steam Deck 2 is in the works.
A new Steam Deck is on the way, and I'm not talking about the newly announced Steam Deck OLED. Valve Product Designer Lawrence Yang briefly discussed the next-generation Steam Deck in a conversation with Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, emphasis on the word "briefly."
Bloomberg reported that Yang said his team will work on a Steam Deck 2. The product designer also stated that the next Steam Deck will feature a "next-generation" power upgrade, which is hardly a surprise. Yang also said the Steam Deck 2 will not be available for at least two or three years.
Few direct quotes were used in Bloomberg's report, suggesting that Yang did not go into depth regarding the Steam Deck 2. He did, however, talk about how companies view the Steam Deck in general.
"A lot of folks at the company are excited about this product," said Yang. "We are very invested in the Steam Deck.”
Will there be a Steam Deck 2?
The Steam Deck kicked off a wave of handheld gaming consoles when it arrived in 2022. While devices like the Nintendo Switch were around before the Steam Deck, Valve's handheld console sparked interest in portable PC gaming. Since the release of the Steam Deck, several companies have come out with their own consoles, such as the ASUS ROG Ally.
Since the Steam Deck was first among mainstream competitors, it also has relatively dated hardware. A Steam Deck 2 would give Valve the opportunity to upgrade the specs with "next-generation" internals, as mentioned by Yang. The company could also refine the design of the original Steam Deck.
While little is known about the Steam Deck 2, we now have confirmation from a Valve product designer that the handheld gaming console is in the works.
