It’s a shame that Valve has had to postpone the release of the Steam Deck, especially given the excellent response it’s had from testers and studios, and the potential it has to usher in a new age in mobile gaming as a result of the postponement. Although the firm appears to be doing a lot of things correctly in general, Valve recently held a Q&A session for developers in the hopes of answering some questions and providing additional information on the device. Despite the fact that many people will be frustrated that they will have to wait longer for it, the company is still marketing its next project, and a new set of photographs depicts what the packaging for it will look like.
According to a recent blog post on Steam, Valve has revealed the finished design of the box that the Steam Deck will be sent to customers. After that, the post explains that the packaging is intended for when the gadget is given out to developers, but it will also be what buyers will see when the device is released to the general public on February 1. Surprisingly, the packaging design is extremely simple, with the company choosing a brown folding box that is nearly completely devoid of any design, which may be a reflection of the product housed within. It’s straightforward and understated. The fact that there isn’t any indication that there might be a cardboard cover to place over it for exhibition purposes may cause some to think it’s a little boring if this is the complete package.
In addition, according to the blog post, the company has recently completed a Design Validation, or DV, which it will use for further testing. On top of that, Valve stated that it was not interested in developing Steam Deck-exclusive games, reinforcing the idea that the portable device will be effectively a mobile PC, complete with all of the features and perks that users are accustomed to receiving from a home computer.
Despite the fact that the Steam Deck’s release date has been postponed, it is not expected to be an excessively long wait. Having said that, despite the fact that it has just been delayed by a couple of months, there are certainly people who were expecting to get their hands on one in time for Christmas. That group of people will most likely be the ones who feel a little let down, but the reasons for the delay are related to supply concerns, which have been plaguing the technology industry as a whole for quite some time.
Video footage of games being played on the device has been circulating on the internet in the lead-up to launch day. Many have expressed their admiration for the aesthetics and frame rates of the film. It wasn’t that long ago that The Witcher 3 and Psychonauts 2 were showcased on the Steam Deck, among other titles. In summary, it appears like the Deck will be an excellent piece of hardware; it is only that customers will have to wait a little longer to get their hands on one.
The Steam Deck is scheduled to be released in February 2022.