Steam Decks Will Arrive Sooner Than Expected

A decrease in worldwide supply issues has allowed Valve to increase Steam Deck production, meaning preorders will be fulfilled sooner than later.

Fans anticipating Steam Deck deliveries won’t have to wait much longer, as Valve has announced pre-orders will be arriving sooner than expected. Like its competitors, Steam Deck has faced a fair share of supply issues that emerged in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The most severe of which was due to an ongoing component supply issue that effectively delayed the Steam Deck’s 2021 holiday release date to February 2022.

After years of maintaining one of the most prominent digital marketplaces, Valve revealed a powerful console similar to the Nintendo Switch. The Steam Deck is a handheld console designed to access most of Steam’s immense library and is capable of running high-performing AAA games on the go. While the Steam Deck was initially well-received among critics, customers faced several issues in procuring the new console. Chip shortages and supply disruptions had adversely affected preorders resulting in Valve struggling to fulfill shipments during the Steam Deck’s initial launch. Rampant consumer-based issues like scalpers, scammers, and even blatant theft of Steam Decks due to non-discreet packaging also made acquiring the console tedious and frustrating.

Related: Steam Deck Owner Gets 4K & 60 FPS With External Graphics Card

However, Valve shared some good news via Steam Deck’s official Twitter and Steam Event Page for those awaiting their new Steam Decks. Due to supply chains adversely affected by COVID-19 finally clearing up, Valve announced it will now increase Steam Deck production, thereby updating reservation windows. The increase in productivity means customers with reservations for “Q4 or Later” have been moved up to Q3, meaning they can receive their orders anywhere between July and September. Meanwhile, later preorders are now “solidly in the Q4 category” and can expect to receive their Steam Decks before the end of 2022. Further, Valve still has room for more Q4 deliveries. Once these spots have filled, newer preorders will move to Q1 of 2023. As Valve caught up with Steam Deck reservation deliveries during its Q2 period, it’s no surprise the removal of supply chain impediments would improve delivery dates for those still waiting on their orders.

Valve Can Now Deliver Steam Deck Preorders Much Quicker

The news of Steam Deck’s increase in production will come as a huge relief amidst a world still reeling from supply shortages. With Sony and Microsoft still struggling to meet demands for their respective consoles, Valve’s supply increase could yield an opportunity for Steam Deck to gain a prominent foothold in the market. Because Steam doesn’t have a known presence in console development, better accessibility over consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox X/S could encourage gamers to give it a try despite the expensive price tag. Additionally, with the vast years of accumulated titles in Steam’s catalog at its disposable, Valve’s Steam Deck needs no exclusive games to stand out amidst the competition either.

This console generation has been one of the more frustrating eras of the gaming industry, a major factor being the average consumer’s inability casually purchase new hardware. With Valve’s production recovering from worldwide supply chain issues, hopefully, this serves as an indicator of future relief for other prominent gaming hardware distributors. While Valve’s Steam Deck still has a ways to go to establish itself, hopefully, those waiting will finally get their chance to try the hardware out.

Next: Steam Deck Issues Temperature Warning As Heat Waves Continue

Sources: Steam Deck/Twitter, Steam

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