Valve Targets 2028 for Steam Deck Successor

Valve is reportedly targeting a 2028 launch for the successor to its popular Steam Deck handheld gaming device, according to industry rumors that highlight the company's focus on delivering a substantial performance upgrade amid ongoing global supply chain challenges.

The speculation emerged from a post by KeplerL2, a known industry insider, on the NeoGAF forums. The leaker indicated that while 2028 remains the goal, shortages of RAM and NAND flash memory components could push the timeline further. These shortages, driven by surging demand from AI data centers, have already complicated manufacturing for various electronics, including gaming hardware. Unlike upcoming consoles such as the PlayStation 6 and next-generation Xbox, which rely on semi-custom system-on-chips tied to fixed development schedules, the Steam Deck successor uses off-the-shelf components. This approach offers Valve flexibility to incorporate more advanced technology if delays occur, potentially resulting in superior specifications.

Valve has long emphasized a deliberate pace for hardware releases. The original Steam Deck debuted in February 2022, powered by an AMD Zen 2-based quad-core CPU, RDNA 2 graphics,...