The global chip crunch has claimed yet another victim: Valve announced today that the launch of its handheld PC gaming console Steam Deck is being pushed back by two months.
Originally slated to begin shipping out in December, Steam Deck will now have to miss the 2021 holiday season entirely following supply chain issues caused by the ongoing chip shortage.
In an update posted today, Valve apologised for the delay: “We’re sorry about this — we did our best to work around the global supply chain issues, but due to material shortages, components aren’t reaching our manufacturing facilities in time for us to meet our initial launch dates.”
According to a revised build estimate, Valve is hoping to start shipping devices to customers starting in February 2022. However, with the world still in the midst of a severe silicon shortage, that date is almost certainly subject to change.
”Reservation date estimates will be updated shortly after this announcement,” the company said.
While the Steam Deck’s launch date is being pushed back, Valve said in an email sent out to reservation holders that they will still keep their place in line while the entire reservation list gets shifted back accordingly.
The delayed launch is unfortunate for buyers, but it’s not all that surprising considering the impact the ongoing chip crunch is having on the supply of all sorts of electronics, from the PlayStation 5 to graphics cards. The shortage, which has no certain end date, has even affected Apple’s ability to sell new iPhones — that’s how you know it’s serious. The Steam Deck now joins the Analogue Pocket and the Playdate as yet another handheld gaming console that has faced delays in 2021.
Want to preoder from Australia?
While Australia was not included in the initial preorder phase for the Steam Deck, the console will eventually be available in other territories.
If you want to roll the dice with Valve’s handheld console and international shipping, we’ve got a few tips on how you can go about preordering a Steam Deck in Australia.