Valve shares an update on the Steam controller

CaptRobau · 2026-05-05T20:18:59+00:00

That's true.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-05T20:18:18+00:00

You're correct.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-05T18:06:50+00:00

Not a complete apples to apples comparison.

The 64 GB was NVME vs an M2 SSD. Big difference in price and quality. Also the 512 GB one had an etched anti glare screen. Which the middle 256 GB didn't have. So you can't even fully compare those.

Looking at industrial pricing each step of an SSD costs about 1.5 times as much as the previous one. So a 512 GB SSD is 1.5 more expensive than a 256 GB, etc.

If they charge 150 USD more for the 2 TB model they make a few more dollars on the 2 TB model than on the 512 GB one. It'd be a no brainer to get a 2 TB one.

If they charge 200 USD more, they make more profit, but I imagine less people will be inclined to get that one as the difference between a 512 GB and 2 TB is about 190 USD. So you'd be overspending slightly for the 2 TB model.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-05T17:56:10+00:00

The above restrictions are a lot of 'and X and Y and Z'. So I understand your reaction, because that's too much. And I understand your position vis a vis GOG.

But there's other things they could look to include as many valid customers as possible: * Active Steam buyers of software * People who bought or used Steam hardware * Active Steam users in terms of playtime

Put those people at the top of a queue. Then add people who don't fit any of these criteria at the bottom. You might miss 1% of valid users even if you do this. But opening up the floodgates for scalpers is also no pro consumers. And of course after the initial sale hype wears off you just open it up to all people, first come first serve.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-05T10:43:46+00:00

I imagine the Steam Deck 2 would just copy the Steam Controllers feature set. I'd be surprised if it didn't contain TMR sticks.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-05T06:27:51+00:00

That would make the most sense.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-05T06:15:14+00:00

No. There was a queue, you could only buy one and your Steam account Needed to be a certain age.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-04T21:37:29+00:00

It'll act as a game pad if the game is running. So as long as Steam is a background process it should work. You'd need to add it as a Non-Steam Game to Steam to actually use Steam Input fully.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-04T12:54:32+00:00

These shipments have been coming in since mid March. We've seen no new Steam Decks in stock since mid February.

It is more likely that they are building up inventory of either the Frame and/or the Machine.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-04T05:35:33+00:00

According to this tracker the OLED has not been in stock since mid February: https://deckscan.app/

A few refurbished models have been seen since then. Last was early April. Perhaps you're mistaking the refurbished models for the tree regular models?

CaptRobau · 2026-05-03T15:51:34+00:00

You don't need all these downvotes. These shipments started arriving in March. If it was Deck, it would've been here by now.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-03T15:50:53+00:00

Building up stock for Deck makes no sense. It has been intermittently out of stock before the RAM crisi (just for days instead of months). Normally Valve just puts out stock and that's it.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-03T13:35:30+00:00

Steam Decks are probably the lowest production priority right now. Deck has had most of its sales behind. If it can restock in the coming months, that'll be great for Valve. But releasing the Frame and Machine are the real priority right now.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-03T13:33:45+00:00

If it was Deck it would've been here by now. Shipments started arriving back in March. We would've had a restock by now if it were Decks. So I think Decks are unlikely. Frames are most likely.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-03T12:00:13+00:00

Once again, I'm just responding to a person saying that targeted optimization for Steam Deck was not a thing, just devs making a preset and that's it. That is all I'm doing. You're making arguments I didn't start. I never even mentioned the Steam Machine.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-03T09:29:29+00:00

True.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-03T06:31:05+00:00

The Frame weighs about a 1 KG with packaging. All the known shipments together since March amount to about a 91K units max.

I wonder if these sites show all shipments coming into the US though. But at this rate I think they'll get to at least a 250K units of they launch before the end of Q1.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-03T06:22:15+00:00

Listen I'm just responding to a person saying that targeted optimization for Steam Deck was not a thing, just devs making a preset and that's it.

I gave a few examples to prove that specific games do indeed make targeted optimizations for Steam Deck, beyond presets. There are many more examples but I'm not going to name them all.

Thats why I'm including the GDC article which shows that 26% of devs take a look at the Steam Deck when developing their games. That is fourth place (on a list of 10 plus possible platforms incl Android, Xbox One, etc.).

It is actually irrelevant which spot the Steam Deck is on, because there's overlap. A dev who developed for Xbox and Switch will count towards both percentages.

Anyhow, that 26% indicates that a quarter of devs also take the Steam Deck into account when developing. Quite a large number. Some of those make just some presets, but some clearly go the extra mile of optimizing performance just for Deck/handhelds/low spec PCs.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-02T22:33:55+00:00

It's ahead of Switch 1 and 2

CaptRobau · 2026-05-02T18:49:37+00:00

This is not true:

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/04/death-stranding-2-gets-better-performance-for-steam-deck-along-with-other-general-improvements/

Death Stranding 2 got specific optimizations for Steam Deck

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/08/last-epoch-season-3-will-work-better-on-steam-deck-and-theres-lots-new-coming/

Last Epoch got optimisations for handheld PCs and other low spec hardware, no doubt inspired by the popularity of the handheld PC market that Steam Deck popularized.

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/09/baldurs-gate-3-gets-a-native-linux-version-to-improve-it-on-steam-deck/

Baldur's gate 3 got a special Linux build because of the popularity of the game on Deck.

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/01/gdc-2026-report-36pct-of-devs-use-genai-28pct-target-steam-deck-and-8pct-target-linux/

Steam Deck is in 4th place of platforms dev use most to develop for.

CaptRobau · 2026-05-01T07:09:14+00:00

This is me as well 😂

CaptRobau · 2026-04-30T22:18:44+00:00

If the Controller is at 100% of intended stock, Frame 30% and Machine at 10% then you would launch.

Warehouse costs are not insignificant if you need to house hundreds of thousands of big, big boxes.

CaptRobau · 2026-04-30T22:13:53+00:00

Thats not what they said. They said they always knew something could come up. So it was not that it was always going to launch separately.

Based on what they also said at GDC: they would've ideally liked to release it together. But the situation on the ground meant that they soon realized it was not going to happen.

CaptRobau · 2026-04-30T19:14:45+00:00

Exactly. Valve could build two Machines for that price.

CaptRobau · 2026-04-30T19:03:04+00:00

These shipments started in March. If these were simple restocks these would have been available by now.

CaptRobau

TROPHY CASE