On the fence about that new Steam Deck OLED in fear of a better model being just around the corner?
Don’t be—or, at least, that’s what Valve wants everyone to believe—as product designer Lawrence Yang has told Bloomberg in a new interview about how the Steam Deck 2 (read: a true, next-gen model) won’t be out any time soon.
More specifically, Steam users may have to wait as long as three years to see what Valve’s ideas really are for its next handheld, which, as some might suspect, include greater gaming performance:
Yang said his team will work on a Steam Deck 2, which will feature a “next-generation” power upgrade but won’t be available for at least two or three years. Unlike with many past experiments, Valve appears to be committed to the device for the long term.
That said, more Steam Decks are certainly coming, as elsewhere in the story, it’s noted that Valve has sold “multiple millions” of the system already, although no specific sales figures were given.
The Steam Deck OLED’s improvements, which include a fancier screen and better battery life, can also be largely credited to users of the device, according to the Valve employee:
This new version of the Steam Deck was inspired by months of customer feedback, said product designer Lawrence Yang. The list of suggestions from users included a better display and longer battery life as well as less dramatic improvements, such as a longer power cord. The new machine is also slightly lighter, quieter and cooler than its predecessor.
“It’s all the things we wish we could have done,” Yang said.
The Steam Deck OLED should be available to order beginning November 16, in 512 GB and 1 TB storage capacities.
Valve is also offering a “highly limited” edition, although that’s reserved for U.S. and Canada customers.