Valve Announces New Steam Controller, Details Progress Toward Steam Deck 2
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Valve is launching a new Steam Controller next week, while its other hardware projects face delays due to an ongoing RAM crisis. The company is actively developing a next-generation Steam Deck handheld PC, but states current chip technology does not yet meet its performance targets.
Facts First
- A new Steam Controller launches next week, marking a progression from Valve's original hardware.
- An ongoing RAM crisis is delaying the arrival of the Steam Machine and Frame.
- Valve is "hard at work" on a next-generation handheld PC, building on learnings from current projects.
- There are currently no SoC offerings that Valve believes would deliver true next-gen performance for a Steam Deck successor.
- The Steam Deck's release spurred a rush of similar handheld PCs from other companies.
What Happened
Valve is launching a new Steam Controller next week. The company's other hardware projects, the Steam Machine and Frame, are delayed due to an ongoing RAM crisis. Valve programmer Pierre-Loup Griffais stated that Valve is "hard at work" on the next handheld PC, following a hardware progression from the original Steam Controller and Steam Machine to the Steam Deck. Griffais explained that current hardware projects and announcements are intended to provide learnings that will build up to a Steam Deck 2.
Why this Matters to You
If you are a PC gaming enthusiast, you may soon have access to a new controller option from Valve. The delay of the Steam Machine and Frame means you will not see those products soon. The company's focus on a next-generation Steam Deck suggests a more powerful handheld gaming PC could be available in the future, which may offer improved performance for portable gaming. The existing Steam Deck's success has already expanded the market, leading to a rush of similar handheld PCs from other companies, giving you more choice.
What's Next
Valve is working back from silicon advancements and architectural improvements regarding the next version of the Steam Deck. However, according to Pierre-Loup Griffais, there are currently no offerings in the SoC (System on a Chip) landscape that Valve believes would truly be a next-generation performance Steam Deck. This indicates that the release of a Steam Deck 2 is likely dependent on future chip developments that meet Valve's performance targets.