Valve has teased that it’s getting much closer to the creation of the Steam Deck 2. Although the impending launch of the Steam Machine is the current priority of Valve, a successor to the Steam Deck is confirmed to be on the horizon as well. That being said, Valve has stressed in the past that it won’t release the Steam Deck 2 until the hardware can represent a sizable upgrade from the current model. And while that jump in technology is slowly beginning to take shape, it sounds as though Valve is still waiting for some greater leaps in power to come about.
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Speaking to IGN, Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais provided a new update on the company’s current work on the Steam Deck 2. Griffais had previously teased that he had an idea of when the second-generation model of the Steam Deck would release, but didn’t provide specifics. Now, in the wake of this statement, Griffais has said that Valve is inching toward the point when its expectations for the Steam Deck 2 can be met by the components that are available.
“I’d say we’re closer than we were the last time we talked,” said Griffais. “We’re definitely getting there.”
Griffais went on to also talk about recent changes in the PC handheld space, particularly when it comes to Intel’s new Arc G3 series processors. These processors are some of the most powerful that have been seen in PC handhelds so far, and represent a sizable upgrade from previous devices. Still, even with these “next-gen” processors starting to hit the market, Griffais said that Valve is still not seeing the leap forward that Valve wants with the Steam Deck 2.
“I would say that the new chips that are coming out are still in power envelopes that are not quite the right segment that you’d want for a true handheld experience,” Griffais said. “I think a lot of them are more low-end laptop chips or playing in that sort of form factor that are then repurposed for handhelds and maybe not leading to, I guess the trade-off that we would’ve chosen in terms of power and better life and that and all that.”
Looking forward, Griffais made clear that Valve’s current focus is on the Steam Machine. Beyond this, it will then release the Steam Frame later in 2026, which will be its latest VR headset. Only after these products hit the market will the Steam Deck 2 then become a larger priority at the company. As such, the absolute earliest that we may start to see the Steam Deck 2 would be 2027, with the platform’s release potentially being further off.
Regardless of when the Steam Deck 2 releases, though, Valve is certainly going to find new complications when it comes to manufacturing it. Ongoing component shortages that have plagued the tech market don’t seem like they’re going to end any time soon, which could result in the Steam Deck 2 being much further down the road than previously anticipated. Still, if nothing else, it’s apparent that Valve is still developing a new model of its beloved handheld, which should satisfy fans for the time being.
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Image Courtesy of Sony
