Steam Deck sales fall 80% after May price hike

Sales of Valve's Steam Deck handheld gaming PC have reportedly plummeted by approximately 80 percent following a significant price increase implemented in May, according to an analysis of the device's position on Steam's revenue charts. The analysis, conducted by the site Boiling Steam, estimates that weekly unit sales have fallen from a range of 11,000 to 18,000 in 2025 to between 1,400 and 3,000 in July 2026, representing a dramatic contraction in demand.

The price hikes, which Valve attributed to rising component costs and global logistical challenges, increased the cost of the Steam Deck by roughly 54 percent. The 512GB OLED model, for example, rose from $550 to $790, while the 1TB version increased from $650 to $950. Concurrently, Valve removed the more affordable LCD models from sale, eliminating the previous entry-level price point. The company stated that the hardware itself had not changed, but the new prices reflected industry-wide pressures.

This pricing shift has corresponded with a steep decline in the Steam Deck's ranking on Steam's weekly Top Sellers list, which is based on revenue. Prior to the increase, the device was a consistent mainstay in the platform's top...