Steam Deck price hike has completely destroyed sales, new data suggests - TechSpot

What the report says

TechSpot reports that new estimates from Boiling Steam suggest Valve’s Steam Deck sales may have fallen sharply after a major price increase and the removal of lower-priced LCD models. According to the article, Valve moved to selling only OLED versions in 2026, with the 1TB model priced around $1,000, roughly $300 higher than before. The report frames the change as a response to rising component costs tied to supply-chain pressures and chip demand.

Boiling Steam’s estimate is based on tracking the Steam Deck’s position on Steam’s global best-selling products list, a method the outlet has used previously for hardware sales analysis. TechSpot says the handheld had often ranked strongly in 2025, but the newer estimates indicate weekly sales may have dropped from about 11,000–18,000 units to roughly 1,400–3,000 units. The same analysis suggests Valve’s Steam Deck revenue may be down about 72% despite the higher price.

The figures have not been confirmed by Valve, and the methodology relies on inference rather than official shipment data. TechSpot notes that OLED models initially appeared to sell out even at the higher price, but says the more recent trend points to weaker demand as buyers compare the Steam Deck with more powerful handheld gaming PCs such as MSI’s Claw 8 EX AI+ and Asus’ ROG Ally X.

The issue matters because Steam Deck helped popularize PC handheld gaming, and pricing could determine whether Valve remains competitive in a growing category. TechSpot cautions that wider technology-sector shifts make it too early to declare the product’s prospects over.