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The large image: Launched three years in the past at this time, Valve’s Steam Deck has change into one of many most notable merchandise in PC gaming {hardware}, creating a completely new market section. Whereas producers like GPD started promoting handheld gaming PCs years earlier, estimates from IDC present that the Steam Deck vastly dominates the market. Nevertheless, the potential for future development stays unsure.
In response to IDC estimates supplied to The Verge, approximately six million handheld gaming PCs have been bought for the reason that Steam Deck’s launch in 2022. Regardless of having little retail presence, Valve’s handheld accounts for over 3.7 million of these items.
Valve beforehand said that the Steam Deck had bought within the “a number of tens of millions.” IDC estimates recommend that it bought 1.62 million items in 2022, with complete lifetime gross sales probably exceeding 4 million by now.
Information supply: IDC and The Verge
Mixed shipments of the Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw peaked at roughly 2.87 million in 2023, dropped to 1.49 million final 12 months, and are projected to succeed in slightly below two million by the tip of 2025.
The Steam Deck represents about half of the gross sales in each 2023 and 2024. These estimates don’t embrace gross sales from corporations like GPD and Ayaneo, whose market influence is tough to find out.
Though these figures don’t point out robust development, AMD’s head of gaming advertising and marketing, Frank Azor, described the market’s growth from nearly zero to 6 million items in three years as “superb.” AMD’s upcoming Ryzen Z2 chips are anticipated to energy a brand new era of handheld gaming PCs beginning this 12 months.
That stated, the Nintendo Switch 2 has little to fret about. The most important problem going through the upcoming handheld console could also be convincing its predecessor’s large 150-million-strong set up base to improve. Nevertheless, handheld gaming PCs and conventional consoles function beneath vastly totally different enterprise fashions, making direct comparisons tough.
Additionally learn: The History of Handheld Gaming PCs – From Humble Beginnings to the Future of PC Gaming
Because the Steam Deck and comparable units are an extension of PC gaming, analyzing their efficiency towards gaming laptops or pre-built PC gross sales may present extra significant insights. Earlier experiences from IDC and different analysts recommend that whereas the overall PC market noticed modest development final 12 months, PC gaming continues to increase at a wholesome tempo.
Whether or not the Steam Deck – or the growth of its SteamOS working system – can additional drive this development stays unsure. The gadget is just out there in a restricted variety of nations and receives virtually no advertising and marketing exterior of the Steam shopper.
Don’t expect a Steam Deck 2 anytime quickly, although. As different handheld gaming PCs undertake sooner processors, Valve is holding off till a “generational” leap with comparable battery life turns into possible.
