If you’re already thinking about the possibility of a Steam Deck 2, you’re not the only one. Plenty of gamers are waiting for Valve to announce a Steam Deck 2 release date, even if we’re still not entirely sure that the PC gaming giant is in the process of creating a follow-up to the popular handheld gaming console. We’ve gone out in search of all the latest details, separating the fact from the fiction, so that you can set your expectations.
So as not to be too unfaithful to Nintendo as we love the company and its Switch, allow us to tell you all about the best Resident Evil games, Mario games, Zelda games, FNAF games, and horror games that you can play on the hybrid console. Or, if the Steam Deck doesn’t do it for you, see what alternatives our list of the best portable gaming consoles has to offer.
Anyway, onto more pressing matters, is there a Steam Deck 2 release date?
Steam Deck 2 release date speculation
At this moment in time, there is no official Steam Deck 2 release date. Still, that doesn’t mean we can’t start speculating when we might be able to expect to see the sequel to Valve’s massively successful portable PC by looking at other brands, insider quotes, and rumors. In that regard, there’s plenty of material to go off.
In an interview with Rock Paper Shotgun, Valve lead designer Lawrence Lang shed some light on when the next iteration of the Steam Deck may hit the market. Unfortunately for all you PC gamers out there, he says that “a true next-gen Deck with a significant bump in horsepower wouldn’t be for a few years.” So, we’re pretty sure we’re not going to see the sequel arrive in 2024 unless there’s a drastic change in Valve’s approach.
Another quote from a Valve employee, Pierre-Loup Griffais, to The Verge in September of 2023 sheds more light on when we can anticipate a Steam Deck 2 release date. Griffais told The Verge that a follow-up is unlikely until the developer can improve performance without a “significant cost to power efficiency and battery life” and that he doesn’t “anticipate such a leap to be possible in the next couple of years.” With that in mind, we might be looking at 2025 or 2026 as the soonest possible Steam Deck 2 release date.
Both of those quotes came before the release of the Steam Deck OLED in November 2023. If you compare this handheld console to the Nintendo Switch, the Switch OLED arrived in 2021, and we still haven’t seen a follow-up console since, despite rumors it may arrive in 2024. While it’s just speculation, the arrival of an OLED version seemingly puts any possible Steam Deck 2 release date even further into the future, with the souped-up version improving the lifespan of the original iteration for those looking for longer battery life and a better display.
At the time of writing, four months into 2024, we’ve not heard any new details from Valve regarding a Steam Deck successor or seen any rumors or leaks emerge online. However, according to our sister site PCGN, it appears a Lenovo Legion Go follow-up is in the works as of April 2024. Yes, we’re aware that’s a different console entirely, but we also think it’s fair to assume that if Lenovo is committing to the future of the handheld PC, Valve is probably doing the same thing.
Steam Deck 2 price speculation
It’s no mean feat trying to predict the price of a product we know so little about, but we’re going to give it our best shot. Before we estimate a price point for the Steam Deck 2, let’s look at the pricing for the current model:
- $399 (£349) for the 256GB LCD model
- $549 (£479) for the 512GB OLED model
- $649 (£569) for the 1TB OLED model
From those price points and what’s bound to be an increase in the quality of technology, it’s likely that you can add an extra $100 to each of those models, assuming Valve sticks to this approach. Unfortunately, we probably won’t know the pricing structure until Valve announces a Steam Deck 2 release date, so keep your eyes on this page for all the latest.
Steam Deck 2 display and specs rumors
One improvement we anticipate seeing when the Steam Deck 2 release date rolls around is a better refresh rate display. The ASUS ROG Ally and upcoming competitor MSI Claw A1M offer 120Hz refresh rate displays, compared to the Steam Deck OLED’s 90Hz and base models 60Hz. If Valve wants to maintain its place at the top of the growing pack of portable PC gaming consoles, it’s going to need to step up its game in terms of Steam Deck specs to contend with some of the competitors. How exactly it does that is up to the crack team of engineers responsible for the original and OLED Steam Deck.
In terms of changes to the overall design, we’re not expecting anything drastic considering many critics have commended Valve on the ergonomic design of the original Steam Deck. While there might be some change to the original build, the quotes from those at Valve working on the Steam Deck 2 seem to suggest that they’re most concerned with improving the internals, and therefore the performance, of the follow-up console.
There you have it, our guide to all the Steam Deck 2 release date speculation and rumors. While you’re here, check out our picks for the best horror games on Nintendo Switch and mobile for some spooky treats.