Summary
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Valve wants Steam Decks back on sale, but availability remains limited due to supply issues.
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RAM shortages and shipping disruptions are the main obstacles to restocking.
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Valve is diversifying suppliers to avoid single-source risk, but does not offer an ETA for returns.
If you’ve tried to buy a Steam Deck lately, you’ll have noticed that it’s very difficult to buy one from Valve if you live in specific regions. Right now, the popular portable gaming device is facing a serious shortage problem due to RAM prices, delivery issues, and people opting for devices over PCs as the latter’s prices skyrocket.
Well, it’s been a few months since Valve first reported stock issues with the Steam Deck, and things still look dire. The good news is that a recent interview revealed that Valve really wants them back on sale. The bad news is that the memory crisis is still very much in effect and there’s realistically not much Valve can do.
Valve wants its Steam Decks to return, but it’s easier said than done
After all, RAM isn’t getting much cheaper
In an interview with IGNthe publication sat down with Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais and Steve Cardinali to discuss the newly revealed. Steam Controller Pricing. However, halfway through the interview, IGN asked the two what was going on with the Steam Deck and when we could expect them to return to specific markets.
Pierre-Loup Griffais responded by saying that while they would love to see the Steam Deck back on the market, it is still a big challenge:
Yes, we don’t really have any specific details to share on that, but it’s something we’re working hard on. And as you know, there are a lot of considerations right now regarding the difficulty of shipping, and also memory shortages and all that.
So we’ve been trying to figure that out because we’re very aware of the fact that there are people who want to get the Steam Deck and currently can’t get it. It’s available in some regions right now, but overall it’s something we’re working very hard on.
Griffais goes on to say that Valve has always been hesitant to plan its consoles around a single company supply, as any disruption would cripple the device’s production line. As such, because it is more open to working with multiple vendors, Valve can more easily navigate the RAM crisis than if it had hedged all its bets on a single vendor.
Even if we don’t have an ETA on when the Steam Deck will return to the market, it’s good to know that Valve hasn’t given up. Unfortunately, with the world of AI showing no signs of stopping anytime soon, we may be stuck in RAM limbo for quite some time.
