- Valve has announced a delay to its upcoming handheld console, the Steam Deck
- Initially planned for December 2021, Steam Deck is now expected to release in February 2022
- The reason for this delay is a shortage in the global supply of materials for the console
Valve apologized that the Steam Deck will get delayed for February 2022 because of ongoing issues with the global supplies, leading to shortages in parts.
Valve Apologized For the Delay
Steam Deck is Valve’s attempt to explore the console market by providing a handheld console that can run gamers’ favorite PC titles. The project has met mixed responses with many anticipating its release and others being skeptical about it. Still, everyone is interested to see how it will turn out in reality, which is further attested by the fact that the Steam Deck reservations quickly sold out in July.
However, the final verdict on the console will have to wait a bit, as Valve announced that Steam Deck’s release will be rescheduled for a later date. The console was initially planned to be released in December 2021, just in time for the holidays. Sadly, the release will be delayed by two months because of cited “global supply chain issues” leading to “material shortages.”
People who reserved a Steam Deck in July 2021 were expected to receive their console somewhere around the first months of 2022. That wait time will likely extend because of the delay the console is currently experiencing.
Furthermore, people who wish to reserve a copy of the console now will likely have to wait at least until mid-2022. According to Valve’s latest update to the reservations page, the shipping for people who order now will come in the second half of the year.
Valve apologized for the delay in a statement addressing the fans and announced that the planned release will be moved to February.
The Interest is High But Fans Will Have to Wait
As mentioned, Steam Deck is a project that garnished a lot of attention from fans of gaming. Having the ability to play high-end AAA titles on a handheld device seemed like a dream come true to many.
There have been some suspicious decisions concerning the console, namely the fact that docked mode will not boost the console’s performance, unlike its competitor, the Nintendo Switch. Some fear that Steam Deck’s specs will not be able to handle some of the titles that demand a high-end PC.
Still, the majority chose to trust Steam Deck and Valve’s ambitions to make PC gaming portable. In fact, so much so that Valve had to limit reservations only to people who have a verified Steam account with at least one purchase to avoid scalpers. Moreover, the company also demanded a $5 reservation fee for every reserved Steam Deck.
Fans can hope that the shortage problems will soon be solved, lest there be another delay.
