Valve’s Steam Deck was launched on February 25th, and despite the few shortcomings like the limited battery life, the handheld has received mostly positive reviews. Some even feel it may be a direct competitor to the Nintendo Switch. However, the Switch has one advantage: global availability. But it may soon lose that trump card.
For now, the Steam Deck is available in very limited numbers, and many customers are still waiting for news about their pre-orders. This would include people outside the United States, Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. Thankfully, Valve has opened up and confirmed its intent to bring its console to the global markets.
The company issued a statement on Monday afternoon addressing the availability issues of the Steam Deck. They discussed how they are doing what they can to increase the console’s availability. This included the confirmation that Valve is “looking into” releasing the Steam Deck in additional regions within the year.
They did not specify which countries the Steam Deck would be available in, but the statement mentioned Japan as a potential market. The post states that international fans will have to wait longer before an official confirmation is announced, but we can expect some updates between now and then.
Japan’s mention is interesting as it is an ideal market for the Steam Deck. The country is filled with PC gamers, proven by the popularity of games such as League of Legends and Overwatch. Strangely, Steam’s platform has seen only moderate success in the region. So, Valve must be hoping a Japan release will help to strengthen the company’s presence in the country.
The note also stated that Valve is working to increase Steam Deck production in countries where the rollout is underway. They also have a better timetable of how long the rollout will take. So, customers on the Quarter 3 of the waitlist can now review their reservation status by visiting the Steam Deck product page while logged into their account.
We’ll have to wait on more news for the Steam Deck’s further releases, but the vast number of pre-orders show that the console is in high demand in practically every available market.
About Valve Software
Valve Corporation, also known as Valve Software, is an American video game developer, publisher, and digital distribution company based in Bellevue, Washington. Valve is best known for the software distribution platform Steam, along with gaming franchises such as Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Portal, Day of Defeat, Team Fortress, Left 4 Dead, and Dota.
No Comments on The Steam Deck Could be Available in Your Country Later This Year