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Gabe Newell teases Steam Deck 2 and possible new features

Steam Deck 2 is already on Valve's radar. (Image Source: Valve)
Steam Deck 2 is already on Valve's radar. (Image Source: Valve)
Valve's CEO might be looking to integrate some metaverse features in the next Steam Deck iteration, as he mentions a possible VR component. Additionally, the price points might be increased, since the high-end Steam Deck model turned out to be the most popular during the pre-sales.

Valve has barely started shipping the Steam Deck handheld console, and the company is already making plans for the second iteration. A glimpse at the upcoming version's possible specs along with some surprising statistics related to the first version were shared by Gabe Newell himself in a recent Edge Magazine interview.

Apart from faster hardware specs, Newell foreshadowed that the upcoming version should focus on combining its portability advantages over traditional desktop gaming rigs with virtual reality features that are now trending once again thanks to the metaverse boom. Newell explains that “the first step is to let you play the great games that exist today. The second iterations are going to be more about: what are the capabilities that mobile gives us, above and beyond what you would get in a traditional desktop or laptop gaming environment? One of the things [Steam Deck] represents is battery-capable, high-performance horsepower that eventually you could use in VR applications as well. You can take the PC and build something that is much more transportable. We’re not really there yet, but this is a stepping stone.”

Valve’s CEO also shared some pre-order statistics that took the company by surprise, as the most popular Steam Deck model by far turned out to be the high-end version with 512 GB storage and anti-glare screen. Newell believes that the majority of Steam Deck customers are saying “‘We would like an even more expensive version of this,’ in terms of horsepower capabilities or whatever. You know, that’s why we always love to get something out there and ship it. Because we learn a lot from that, and it helps frame our thinking for Deck 2.” This could suggest that Steam Deck 2 may get a reworked tier system and an overall price bump.

With the overwhelming popularity of the more expensive versions of the Steam Deck, it is clear that Valve intends to grow this into a successful brand, unlike some of Valve’s missed opportunities and previous console concepts.

 

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Source(s)

Edge - GamesRadar+ 1 / 2

via TechRadar

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2022 02 > Gabe Newell teases Steam Deck 2 and possible new features
Bogdan Solca, 2022-02-25 (Update: 2022-02-25)