Valve developer Pierre-Loup Griffais has confirmed that the Steam Deck 2 is still coming, and that the ongoing RAM crisis hasn’t changed the company’s plans for it. The news comes during an interview with IGN about the Steam Frame, the company’s upcoming virtual reality headset.
The Steam Deck 2 will be a more powerful successor to the original handheld PC, and Griffais said the current conditions haven’t thrown a wrench into Valve’s plans. “Not really,” he said when asked about the RAM crisis, which has led to shortages and rising tech prices. “We’ve talked before about how we want to make sure there’s a very delineated performance improvement for something like a future Steam Deck, and I think we’re still looking at it in the same way. It’s just a matter of looking at the current conditions and seeing how and when we can deliver something like that.”
The developer’s confirmation
Griffais addressed the RAM crisis directly during the interview. He said the ongoing shortage hasn’t delayed the Steam Deck 2, though he acknowledged that increased prices on items like the OG Steam Deck and Steam Machine likely have had some impact on how many devices Valve is selling.
“It’s a little hard to say because we’re still working on getting the whole launch quantity through, but in practice, I mean I think price for sure impacts demand,” he said. “We’ll have to monitor how things are going, but we’re pretty comfortable with the fact that all these products are trending similarly to other products in the market.”
“Not really”
The history of the Steam Deck 2
Valve has been open about its plans to release a Steam Deck successor for a few years now. Back in 2024, the company said it wanted to wait for a generational leap in compute power without sacrificing battery life before shipping the real second generation.
Earlier this year, rumors suggested Valve was aiming to get the Steam Deck 2 out sometime in 2028.
Comparing the two generations
| Feature | Steam Deck | Steam Deck 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Release status | Shipped | Still on the way |
| Role | Portable PC | More powerful successor |
| Focus | Current lineup | Generational performance jump |
| Battery life | Not specified | Preserved, per 2024 statement |
The table shows where the two devices sit in Valve’s timeline. The OG Steam Deck shipped and remains available, while the Steam Deck 2 remains unannounced.
Why this matters
The Steam Deck 2 has been a mystery for years. Every update from Valve has left the exact timing unclear, and the RAM crisis added another layer of uncertainty. Now Griffais has removed one potential roadblock.
Valve’s position is that the plans are intact, but the company is monitoring demand and adjusting production accordingly. The Steam Frame launch is underway, and the company has three hardware releases planned for 2026.
The takeaway is simple: Valve is still building the Steam Deck 2, and the RAM crisis hasn’t changed that. The question of when it ships remains unanswered.
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