Steam Deck 2 Plans Haven’t Really Changed Due to RAM Crisis, Valve Says

Since Valve’s Steam Frame is officially out and is available to pre-order at an expensive price tag. But many of you who love the Steam Deck must be thinking about the next hardware refresh, right? Well, Valve is still thinking about Steam Deck 2, but the good news is that the ongoing RAM crisis doesn’t appear to be changing its core plans. The company is still focused on delivering a major performance upgrade. However, Valve is taking its time to figure out when that can happen.

Valve is still working backward from the user experience

Speaking to IGN, Valve designer Pierre-Loup Griffais said the RAM crisis hasn’t really impacted how the company approaches Steam Deck 2. Valve is reportedly still working backward from the user experience. The company wants a future Steam Deck to bring a clearly noticeable performance improvement.

That means Valve is not simply looking for a faster chip and calling it a day. The next handheld needs to offer a meaningful upgrade over the current Steam Deck.

Griffais also made it clear that Valve’s goals remain largely unchanged. The company is looking at current market conditions while deciding how and when it can deliver that experience.

Steam Deck 2 still needs the right moment

Interestingly, Valve does not appear to be changing its product goals because of the ongoing hardware shortage. Instead, the company is continuing to evaluate when the necessary conditions are right. The comments also suggest that Steam Deck 2 is not something Valve is rushing into development simply because newer hardware exists.

Valve wants the next Steam Deck to feel like a proper generational step. That approach could explain why the company has remained cautious about announcing specific hardware. For now, there is no release date for Steam Deck 2. Valve is still working toward the same experience it has previously described, while watching the hardware market closely.

All that said, it’s fair to say from the comments that the RAM crisis or internal hardware shortages haven’t derailed Steam Deck 2, but don’t expect it soon.