The Steam Deck has quickly become one of the more popular consoles on the market. After all, it takes the massive library of games that exist on the Steam storefront and puts most of them onto a handheld device that users can take with them wherever they go. As gamers often do, the popularity of the console has spawned countless memes. One of the most prevalent is the idea that the Steam Deck’s exhaust ports emit a strangely pleasing scent. Recently, Valve issued an official stance on what it thinks about players potentially huffing the fumes from their portable console. As you’d probably expect, Valve really doesn’t want you to do that.
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The news was first spotted by IGN, who noticed a Reddit post where a Steam Deck owner asked Steam Support if it is “safe to inhale the exhaust fumes” from their Deck. A few days after the ticket was submitted, Support got back to them and said, “As with all electronics, it is generally not recommended you inhale the exhaust fumes on your device. While there are no safety concerns with general usage, directly inhaling the device’s vent fumes should be avoided. We understand that it may be a meme, but please refrain from this behavior for the safety of your health.”
That’s exactly the response you should expect from Valve. Even if there’s no real potential harm from huffing a Deck’s exhaust ports, there’s no reason for Valve to put itself at risk for liability. After all, if something happens and Valve hasn’t made a statement, there’s always the chance that the company could get in legal trouble. It’s highly unlikely, but major companies like Valve will always take every step possible to protect themselves from future problems when they can.
The Future of the Steam Deck
Last month, Valve introduced the Steam Deck OLED, a new version of the hit handheld. The OLED includes a better screen, improved battery life, and faster downloads. On top of that, the OLED is a bit lighter, making it slightly easier to carry on your commute or hold up during a late-night gaming session in bed. The Steam Deck OLED went live on November 16 and is currently available on the Steam Store. It’s also worth noting that if you don’t care about the OLED screen, the original version of the Steam Deck has been discounted while supplies last.
Alongside the announcement of the OLED, many were wondering if Valve would eventually announce the Steam Deck 2. Fortunately, Steam Deck OLED owners can rest assured that a second version is still several years away. Valve is absolutely planning to make a follow-up at some point given the device’s success, it just won’t launch for “quite a while.”
