Reported estimates suggest demand for Valve’s Steam Deck has fallen sharply after a price rise, with the handheld reportedly selling far fewer units than a year earlier. The decline matters because the Steam Deck had been a leading value option among handheld gaming PCs, but its higher price now makes competing devices appear more attractive.

Boiling Steam inferred an 82% year-on-year fall in unit sales from the Steam Deck’s movement down Steam’s top-sellers chart, from around fifth place to about 14th; this is not based on official Valve figures. At a reported $789, the device is compared unfavourably with the Xbox Ally and Lenovo Legion Go S, although wider hardware price rises and increasing memory costs could make it more competitive again.