Steam Deck, Valve’s handheld PC, delayed into 2022

Valve announced Wednesday that the Steam Deck was delayed in a blog post. Two months after its initial schedule, the handheld PC will begin shipping to customers in February 2022. Valve blamed the global supply chain for the device’s delay.

Prior to this delay, the Steam Deck didn’t have an exact release date, with Valve instead telling fans to expect their Deck to ship sometime in December. The Steam Deck now has the exact same chips shortages that have prevented players from getting a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X around the globe.

The new launch window in February will start with the same reservation queue as before — meaning that only customers who reserved their Steam Deck fast enough to get a December date should expect their Deck in February. Fans who missed the party will see a delay of two months in their shipment date. Valve said it plans to update players’ estimated shipping date soon.

The Steam Deck was first revealed by Valve in July. It is a mobile gaming alternative to PC gaming. In addition to traditional analog sticks and buttons, it’s also got small touch-sensitive pads on its face and multiple triggers on its back. There are many versions available, which will affect the storage space. While the Steam Deck is available for purchase starting at $399 and going up to $649 for the highest-end model, it costs players an additional $549. Although not all PC games will be compatible with Steam Deck, Valve also has its own ranking system that helps players find the best Steam Deck games.