Valve says ‘next-gen’ Steam Decks are planned and may include streaming machines

It’s highly likely that there will be a “next generation” of Steam Deck hardware, according to a long-term Valve designer.

The latest issue of Weekly Famitsu magazine has an interview with a number of Valve developers to celebrate the fact that the Steam Deck can now be reserved by players in Asia.

At one point in the interview, the team is asked: “If Steam Deck is successful can we expect more in the future?”

“Unless something major changes, there will be a next generation of Steam Deck products in the future,” designer Greg Coomer replied.

“The theme, size and shape will change, and it might even become a streaming machine. Development of the Steam Deck will continue.

“One reason is that it is an extension of our core Steam platform,” he said. “The Steam Deck is another PC in another form, but Steam has many other uses besides this handheld device, such as on TV or on the desktop, and we will continue to work to satisfy our customers as much as possible.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Steam Deck developer Pierre-Loup Griffais identified battery life as one of the issues of “the current Steam Deck”, again seemingly implying that improved hardware is on the way.

“We have already made improvements [to battery life] between the time of launch and now,” he explained. “For example, we’ve made it possible to play refresh rates at 40 Hz, and we’re working hard to give users more control over how long their battery lasts.

“We’re also constantly optimising the operating system to reduce battery consumption when playing games that are not too demanding. This will improve the battery life. In any case, battery issues are at the top of our list of future improvements.”

When later asked for any major improvements planned, Griffais added: “As I mentioned, battery life is at the top of the list of improvements. I think the current Steam Deck is moving in the right direction in terms of functionality and compatibility. We always pay close attention to feedback.”

Further reading

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Valve booklet appears to confirm plans for future Steam Decks

Valve calls Steam Deck a 'multi-generational product line'

Last week it was noticed that a newly published Steam Deck booklet by Valve refers to future iterations of the Steam Deck, suggesting new hardware is planned.

“Steam Deck represents the first in a new category of Steam handheld gaming PCs,” the booklet reads. “In the future, Valve will follow up on this product with improvements and iterations to hardware and software, bringing new versions of Steam Deck to market.”