Steam Deck sales prove Nintendo Switch 2 has nothing to worry about
Valve’s portable PC is beloved by many, but it isn’t a threat to Nintendo Switch 2
🥇 Valve’s Steam Deck is the best-selling portable handheld PC
😮 It’s likely sold more than every other handheld PC combined
📈 However, it’s only shipped around 4 million units in three years
🤯 That’s a drop in the ocean compared to Nintendo’s 150 million Switch sales
I’ll admit, I was one of many commenters online who thought Valve’s Steam Deck would provide stiff competition for the Nintendo Switch. Being able to access your existing Steam library and the handheld’s more powerful specs made the Switch look dated, even three years ago.
However, even though I adore my Steam Deck OLED, it turns out Valve’s portable PC was never really a threat to Nintendo’s hybrid system – and that bodes well for the Nintendo Switch 2.
According to sales data from market research firm IDC (thanks, The Verge), Valve has shipped close to four million Steam Deck’s in the three years the device has been on sale. That’s a drop in the ocean compared to the 150 million Nintendo Switch units that have been sold in almost eight years, but it’s a fantastic result for Valve.
As The Verge points out, over six million handheld gaming PCs have shipped in the past few years, with devices like the Asus ROG Ally X, Lenovo Legion Go S, and MSI Claw AI+. However, Steam Deck has sold more than every other PC handheld combined, which is quite the achievement.
It’s also worth noting that you can only buy a Steam Deck directly from Valve, while other PC handhelds and the Nintendo Switch are available from most retailers. As a debut device from Valve and priced significantly higher than even the Nintendo Switch OLED, there’s no doubt the Steam Deck has been a success.
Ultimately, what the sales numbers show is that Nintendo won’t be too concerned about the prospect of a Steam Deck 2 releasing. The Nintendo Switch 2 is likely to sell tens of millions in its first year on sale, with a huge demographic hungry for its next system.
Nintendo also has some of the most enviable IP in the business, with series like Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda, Super Smash Bros., and Splatoon all driving sales of Nintendo’s hardware.
Still, Valve’s Steam Deck may have shaped Nintendo’s thinking. Its existence alone made the idea of a more powerful Switch seem a little redundant, which hopefully encouraged Nintendo to make its next handheld stand out – something which the company has promised.
We’ve seen that the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con may function like a mouse, opening up new gameplay possibilities, and the magnetic Joy-Con are a vast improvement over the previous rail system. The Switch 2 is also noticeably bigger than its predecessor, and unlike most portable PCs which are powered by AMD and Intel, the Switch 2 will once again include an Nvidia-based SoC (system on chip).
While it may seem counterproductive to buy a Steam Deck with the Nintendo Switch 2 so close to release, there are countless things that Valve’s handheld can do that Nintendo’s current and next system cannot. Not only can the Steam Deck function as a fully fledged PC running Linux, but the open platform lets you customize and tweak the system to your heart’s content. You can also stream games from your PC and PS5, something which I’ve done regularly, and the Steam Deck OLED has a HDR display.
Despite other more powerful options, the Steam Deck is still the best portable PC on the market.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.
