Valve is working hard on Steam Deck 2 without a release date

Valve has recently confirmed that the company is "working hard" on the development of Steam Deck 2. Despite that commitment, there is currently no concrete release date for the new handheld console.

Current status of development

Pierre-Loup Griffais, a programmer at Valve, said the company wants to make sure Steam Deck 2 delivers a significant performance upgrade over its predecessor. That improvement is meant to set Steam Deck 2 apart as a standalone product. Valve’s current focus is not only on Steam Deck 2, but also on the launch of Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame.

Connection to earlier hardware projects

Griffais explains that development of Steam Deck 2 is informed by the experience and lessons learned from the company’s earlier hardware projects. According to him, there is a clear line of development from the original Steam Controller and Steam Machine to the Steam Deck and the upcoming devices set to be announced and launched this year.

Performance targets and expectations for the future

Valve has ambitious performance plans for Steam Deck 2. Griffais previously said the company is not interested in a 20% to 50% performance boost while keeping the same battery life. The focus is on much more meaningful gains thanks to advances in silicon technology and architectural improvements. While the team already has some ideas for the next generation of Steam Deck, there are currently no available solutions in the SoC landscape (System on a Chip) that meet their expectations for next-gen performance.

The original Steam Deck launched in February 2022, and the OLED version is scheduled for November 2023. The feasibility of running modern PC games on the current version remains a concern, with some users hoping for a major battery life improvement in the next version.