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Valve delays Steam Deck, now starts shipping February 2022

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Valve has announced today that their hotly anticipated handheld, the Steam Deck, has been delayed until 2022.

Sadly, every company making computing hardware has been facing component shortages and various shipping delays and it seems that Valve has been unable to get around it. They said "The launch of Steam Deck will be delayed by two months. We’re sorry about this—we did our best to work around the global supply chain issues, but due to material shortages, components aren’t reaching our manufacturing facilities in time for us to meet our initial launch dates.".

So now, instead of December 2021 the first set of order invitations will go out to customers in February 2022. That is the new starting point, with everyone being shifted (ours is now saying Q2 2022).

Valve apologised and mentioned they will "continue working to improve reservation dates based on the new timeline, and will keep folks updated as we go".

While it's a huge shame, there is a positive side to this. A delay gives Valve plenty more time to get Steam Play Proton into a state where it can run even more games, and run them with good performance too. It's been a struggle for some multiplayer games with the various anti-cheat systems, even with the recent announcements for Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye, not many developers are willing to confirm their support for it just yet.

As before you can visit the Steam Deck page to see when yours will hopefully be available.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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37 comments
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platinumspoons Nov 10, 2021
Yikes, can't say that this isn't expected with all the chip shortages (and now shipping container shortage?), not exactly something in Valve's control but still, ya hate to hear it.

Valve Time^tm
SuperTux Nov 10, 2021
Gives me a chance to save more....
Arehandoro Nov 10, 2021
Don't worry, it is not March, nor 2023, but 02/2022 so Valve will definitely release the Steam Deck :D
Salvatos Nov 10, 2021
No surprise here, and no big deal. Gives them more time to show it off, and us more time to put aside the dosh without digging into our Christmas budget.


Last edited by Salvatos on 10 November 2021 at 8:11 pm UTC
Comandante Ñoñardo Nov 10, 2021
They can blame the IC shortage, but PROTON is not ready and a lot of big games won't run.
Whitewolfe80 Nov 10, 2021
Quoting: Comandante ÑoñardoThey can blame the IC shortage, but PROTON is not ready and a lot of big games won't run.

That only matters if your target audience doesnt understand that and the fact that most of the big tech channels have already promised videos on how to install windows on it when it launches i dont think thats much of a concern to the mainstream market.
questioner9 Nov 10, 2021
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I wonder if it will now ship on Two's-day (Tuesday 22/2/2022)
Purple Library Guy Nov 10, 2021
Quoting: Whitewolfe80
Quoting: Comandante ÑoñardoThey can blame the IC shortage, but PROTON is not ready and a lot of big games won't run.

That only matters if your target audience doesnt understand that and the fact that most of the big tech channels have already promised videos on how to install windows on it when it launches i dont think thats much of a concern to the mainstream market.
"Big tech channels" is relative. I heard someone earlier saying Linus Tech Tips video about problems running Linux got 1.1 million views; also that he's one of the biggest tech channels. There are, what, over 100 million users on Steam? Most people buying one of these do not watch tech channels, big or otherwise, and are not going to install nuttin' on their new little gaming box except games downloaded from Steam.

So it will be good if Proton is running games well. A couple extra months could make a significant difference.


Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 10 November 2021 at 8:54 pm UTC
CatKiller Nov 10, 2021
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Quoting: Purple Library GuyA couple extra months could make a significant difference.
It does mean that 5.16 (with lots of handy dandy stuff for Van Gogh and the Deck) will be out before it launches, rather than probably out before it launches. So that's probably made someone a lot more relaxed.
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