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Valve has unveiled what it is terming a digital “booklet” in which the future of the brand’s Steam Deck PC handheld is detailed in full on the cusp of its release in Asian markets, such as Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.
The completely free 52-page booklet goes into a multitude of details surrounding manufacturing, design, and varied prototypes for the Steam Deck, as well as the brand philosophy behind Valve itself and how Steam came to be.
Most interesting is the firm’s labeling of its Steam Deck and the SteamOS platform as being a “multi-generational product line,” highlighting that these first three main iterations of the device are mere stepping stones for the future.
Thus far, the Steam Deck price is separated into three main tiers, with a $399 base product at 64GB, a $529 256GB version, and a $649 version that has a much better screen and 512GB of storage. The Steam Deck officially launched in late Feb. this year and has since sold around 1.5 million units according to PlayTracker.
Even so, a Steam Deck 2 is already in high demand. It’s not entirely clear what an upgraded Steam Deck could look like, but Valve does note the importance of the system in regards to its future. In its digital Steam Deck booklet, Valve cites it “will build new versions to be even more open and capable than the first version of Steam Deck has been,” proving that its initial product is all but the starting line.
Around 15% of Steam’s total library is currently playable on the system, which amounts to about 4,500 games. And since the device’s rather rocky launch, Valve has upended its messy logistical constraints and announced earlier this month that it will be doubling shipments, ensuring that consumers with current preorders receive their Steam Deck by the end of the year.
Valve has also made a point to keep the Steam Deck software updated consistently, with an OS and client beta debuting several weeks ago. The platform offers a host of interesting PC-based workflows beyond the gaming mold, making it one of the most sought-after handhelds on the market.
