There were plenty of rumors surrounding both the Steam Deck 2 and a refreshed OG model in recent weeks, but Valve finally confirmed that the OLED Steam Deck is what’s next for its popular handheld. Despite this, Valve product designer Lawrence Yang has confirmed that the company is “thinking about Steam Deck 2 at all times,” but it’s likely a few years away.
The surprise reveal of the OLED Steam Deck was a brilliant move, and it’s sure to be one of the best PC gaming handhelds when it releases, but questions are still swirling about what this means for a full generational revamp and the possibility of a Steam Deck 2.
Well, Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier recently caught up with Lawrence Yang, a product designer at Valve, who confirmed that the Steam Deck 2 is very much a real consideration, but the OLED model is set to be the focus for the next few years.
“I don’t know. It’ll be a while. I think it’ll be quite a while. We don’t have any kind of set date. I think we’re going to wait for the technology to present itself in a way that we find interesting and for the team to really want to make that leap. We’re very, very, very proud of this version of the Steam Deck and this is it. This is the one that we’re most happy with and we think customers will be too.
So we’re thinking about Steam Deck 2 at all times, but I think we’re so satisfied here that this is really the kind of high end of what we wanted to do.”
It’s clear from this quote that Valve sees the OLED as the flagship Steam Deck for years to come, even if work – or at least conceptualization – is ongoing for a new generational leap with the Steam Deck 2. Fans should be relieved to see that there is no intention to churn our devices on any kind of schedule, and there needs to be a genuine need for a new device before Valve starts work on one.
The statement of intent from Valve is clear, we should enjoy the OLED Steam Deck because they’re happy with what they’ve designed and it’s a leap above the OG model. When the time is right, and the technology is ready, the Steam Deck 2 will hit the market.
If you’ve already got a Steam Deck or a planning to purchase an OLED model, you’ll want to know what the best Steam Deck games are to get the most out of your portable powerhouse.