Valve is doubling the number of Steam Decks it ships to customers, the company announced Monday. “Production has picked up, and after today we’ll be shipping more than double the number of Steam Decks every week!” Valve said in a tweet from the official Steam Deck account. And in response to a question from my colleague Sean Hollister, Valve designer Lawrence Yang spelled out the change more clearly: “in previous weeks we were shipping x units / week to customers, starting this week we’ll be shipping 2x units / week.”
Not only is the console with by far the largest game library a machine running a standard full Linux distribution, it’s also apparently doing really, really well.
Ha, doesn’t help if you don’t know one of those numbers, if that number is double. “We were shipping 15, now we’re shipping 30!”
Yeah, no actual numbers means nothing. Top selling by revenue while also the highest price on the store… Valve hasn’t even gotten to a version 2 of any hardware yet. Maybe I’ll consider one when they get to version 3, but that’ll probably be after they make some sequels with that number in it.
@dark2 You realize that 1) Steam Deck is basically Steam Controller 2? (though more like 2.5, as they built the index controllers as well) 2) There really isn’t a reason for Steam Link 2. 3) Index is the HTC Vive 2 (considering Valve was instrumental in the design of the first one).
So they really have done a part 2 of things. But I mean if you want to wait until a Steam Deck version 3, you’ll likely wait 10 years.
Ars has a nice article where they do some sleuthing to try to come up with a weekly shipment estimate. They arrived at something like 13,000 per week, IIRC, but you can read TFA for yourself:
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/06/steam-deck-shipments-more-than-double-this-week-so-lets-estimate-how-many/
Pretty much what I expected. Just enough to sell to that 1% Linux fanboy market, but not a serious amount of units being made. Put it in the pile with Steam Controllers.
There are online calculators which estimate your shipment date. They also happen to include historical data, which might be useful:
First one: https://steam-deck-calculator.web.app
Second one: http://replit.com/@jplayzgamegm/SDDC
Third one: https://colab.research.google.com/drive/1TzC_cQIIhplKAd1ceHxABS9FFtFaoyMt
The third one is more interesting, since they have 11,000+ valid entries in Q1 and Q2. If they represent 5-25% of the orders (which might not be too unreasonable), we might estimate somewhere between 40,000 to 220,000 devices being delivered per quarter. (Probably more).
@Thom Holwerda
“Not only is the console …”
What is your definition of a console?
Valve themself call it a “powerful handheld gaming PC” on twitter
That’s probably for legal reasons related to Epic Games vs Apple. Valve had to disclose pricing of their games to prove Apple isn’t a monopoly (according to Apple of course).
Because of that it doesn’t want to be associated with console games to avoid a legal quicksand regarding predatory pricing and consoles.
That, too. And also the fact that Steam Deck is a generic Linux / Windows machine which supports alternate digital stores.
So, this is more like a mobile PC than a Switch like system, which only supports Nintendo eShop and Nintendo’s proprietary game cards.
(If you connect to a type-C dock, it can launch a fully functional Linux desktop out of the box).
Yes, technically it isn’t a console of course. But how many will try out Windows or some Linux distribution? I’d say less than 10 percent.
Wondercool,
Windows usage is more important than you think. As much as Proton is getting better at Windows API emulation, some games will not support their anti-cheat software there. They even outright warn about banning gamers who bypass that.
And Valve is providing Windows drivers directly on their site:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1675200/view/3131696199122435099
The closest devices are Aya Neo, GPD, or similar handhelds.
I believe some 3rd party configuration pack will be released that will make it easy to setup and run Windows on it, so probably more than 10 percent after a while.
This, again. I wished people understood the difference between a programmable computer and a games console (that can only run a software “signed” by the manufacturer).
It’s all about how you define terms. If a “console” to you is an integrated machine, on standardized hardware with a standard interface for accessing games, then Steam Deck is a console. Personally, I’d like to see a dockable version without a screen or controller, and a more chip platform (CPU and GPU) – essentially a PS5 that I can move between a PC dock and a TV dock (okay, even if it’s just normal wired plugin). If it runs Steam OS, I’d call it a console, even if I’m allowed to run Windows on it.
But if your definition of console is that it’s a locked down proprietary platform, than Steam Deck is not a console (but neither is iOS, and it fits that definition – so, I have issues with it). It just depends on what the word “console” means to you.
I’m comfortable calling Steam Deck a “console done right” (PS5, XBox and Switch are “consoles done wrong”). At the very least it’s a console like portable PC with a very console like UX. Now all we need is a stationary 4k version of this thing. Valve can definitely do it. (It’s technical something anyone could build, and I might – but the EFFING crypto bros…)
Also, one last note – I was considering it, but now I’m not going to buy a PS5, not when I’ve experienced Steam Deck. What I really want is something like a PS5, hardware wise, that runs Steam OS. It’s going to be hard for even Nintendo to convince me to purchase new hardware too (though I’m sure they’ll release a new game I really want, and because it’s Nintendo, that might be enough.) If Nintendo had any sense, they’d just port the Nintendo eShop to Linux/PC at this point, and sell interesting peripherals to go with them. Sony has a decent model – release on their own platform exclusively, only for a time, then port to PC. There’s zero reason Nintendo couldn’t do the same thing. Or, they could open their own platform. They really all should. Why would I ever go back to a walled garden? I’m doing all kinds of emulation, and to be completely honest, I’m at a point in my life, where I’d happily pay again to get for classic Nintendo games in my library – Steam style. I use GoG, I use Heroic, battle.net, Origin, Google Play. I buy from lots of places. I’m over locked down hardware platforms.
One more “one more” – Steam OS is FAR more capable and impressive than I initially thought it would be. I’ve been a PC gamer for decades, and have even run Linux as a primary system a few times over the years. Steam OS and proton are REALLY GOOD. I can barely believe it. THAT is why this will work. All Valve has to do is follow through (and update Big Picture mode to match the Deck’s UX quality, so my couch experience is as good as the Deck’s handheld experience).
I think you have a short memory:
” Now all we need is a stationary 4k version of this thing. Valve can definitely do it. (It’s technical something anyone could build, and I might – but the EFFING crypto bros…)”
Valve did try this, it was called Steam Machine.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/2/17190394/valve-steam-machines-steamos-section-hidden-pc-gaming-living-room
but nobody bought them. And why would you if you could buy a cheaper desktop machine and download Steam onto it?
Moving passed your pointless insult, let’s address your ignorance. The Steam Machine was not at all comparable to the Steam Deck. Steam Machines was a loose partner program, with machines built and distributed by third parties, with minimal quality control or design input from Valve, and a half baked operating system. From a business perspective, they couldn’t be more different from what I’m talking about. The Steam Deck is designed and distributed as a console by Valve. I want that same thing, except built on a more powerful CPU/GPU package, for my TV and desk.
A lot has changed in the industry since they tried Steam Machines. With todays’s supply chain realities, Valve would likely be able to address the market more effectively with custom CPU/GPU package, than with custom PC builds using off the shelf parts can, by working with AMD to produce a tailored chip (like the one in Steam Deck). They should be able provide hardware that can reach the kind of performance I’m looking for, without getting bidded up by the EFFING crypto bros.
They’d also be competing in a different segment than custom PC builds do, which is the primary mistake Steam Machines made. They tried to compete with PC builders – PC builders are going to build PCs (and this was more true back then when boutique gaming PC manufacturers were still new). The thing I want would compete more with consoles like PS5, not with custom PC builds, or at least not broadly. It would only really compete with folks like me who have aged out of needed the hottest tech (I work on high end productivity hardware, which doesn’t double as my hobby gaming rig any more). I’d still really like to play the occasional game, but I don’t need a $2,000 PC rig – I’d be fine with a console that costs less than say, $800 USD (like a PS5) – and I believe Valve could produce one (Sony and MS both have). Try to build a custom PC that matches PS5 performance, and you’ll see what I’m talking about (mostly due to continuing constraints around GPUs – yes, it’s improved, but not enough.) Again, I’m not in the same market segment as a PC builder. I’m looking to replace/upgrade my PS4, not a high end gaming PC.
It wasn’t an insult, just a critique. I am trying to point out that what you like to have in your own words, “a stationary 4k version of this thing” did exist and wasn’t a success. For around 1000 euro you could get a dedicated stationary version of Steam that you could put in your living room and play Steam games on.
From your 2nd write up, it seems you actually want Steam Deck portability but more powerful. I certainly hope that myself actually but not if it’s going to cost more than 700 euro. For on the go I don’t require more than casual games and the current Steam deck already plays a lot. If you want a more powerful Steam Deck for in the living room then you might as well buy a small case 2nd hand computer and shove a 4 year old GPU in it and make your own living room console, nothing has changed there.
Yeah, I could probably get away with something older, come to think of it. I could just use FSR to upscale from 1080p to 4k. Sitting on my couch I doubt I’d notice the difference much. It works great even for going from 720p to 1440p. My only concern is that I want it to be able to essentially match a PS5 performance. Prices for PC parts are coming down, but they aren’t there yet.
“What is a console?” discussion aside, Steam Deck customers have already seen a major increase in fulfilled orders: https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/voevfw/they_were_not_kidding_guys/
For those who have pre-ordered: It is really a nice device. There are some bugs, but overall worth the hassle.