The Nintendo Switch 2 was finally announced last week and, as expected, created a buzz in both the Nintendo and gaming handheld communities. While not a massive amount of information was revealed, the teaser video did reveal several improvements – most of which we expect to hear about in further detail in the upcoming Nintendo Direct on April 2nd.

Following the announcement, it turns out that sales for Valve’s popular Steam Deck handheld are down this week by a significant amount. We usually see the device cruising near the top of the sales charts, but it plummeted pretty much immediately after the Switch 2’s teaser trailer dropped.

Steam Deck drops 44 places in weekly top-sellers chart

Looking back to the week prior, the Steam Deck was number 3 on the list, just behind Counter-Strike 2 and Marvel Rivals (yes, these are both free-to-play titles, but in-game microtransactions contribute to the top-sellers chart). With that in mind, the fact it has fallen 44 places to 47th makes it likely that Nintendo’s announcement is the cause of this. For reference, the Switch 2 was announced on January 16th.

We’ve already argued that the Switch 2 is not a Steam Deck replacement, but these sales numbers seem to suggest that many handheld fans are intrigued to see how the two devices compare. So far, we know that the sequel will feature a larger screen than the original, slimmer bezels, a second USB port, a more versatile kickstand, and redesigned Joy-Con attachments. Even still, it will more than likely be locked within Nintendo’s console ecosystem, whereas the Steam Deck is much more open to customization and compatibility as a handheld PC.

Along with the Switch 2, there is also growing competition in the handheld gaming PC space. Most notably, Lenovo launched the Legion Go S at CES 2025 and pre-orders are already live. While the initial model sticks to Windows, news of a SteamOS variant (the first third-party SteamOS handheld) could be another contributor to the drop in Steam Deck sales.

In any case, we expect the Steam Deck to remain a highly popular device, but more competition is always welcome. The SteamOS Legion Go S won’t be here until May this year, and Nintendo hasn’t revealed an exact release date for the Switch 2 just yet.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.