New estimate suggests Valve's Steam Deck sales have decreased by 82%, and the reason shouldn't be a surprise

Date:
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:28:19 +0000

Description:
Price increases have ultimately spoiled the hype around the Steam Deck, and
it explains why demand has reportedly fallen so low.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Valve's Steam Deck has reportedly seen 82% fewer units sold, due to price increases The estimates
are based on the handheld's position in Steam's global weekly top seller rankings The purported demand plummet suggests the hype for handheld gaming PCs may be spoiled, as a result of the RAM crisis It's fair to say that Valve was largely responsible for the resurgence in popularity of handheld gaming with the Steam Deck (of course, Nintendo also played its part with its Switch console), but the RAM crisis has apparently undone a lot of the work.

According to an analysis from Boiling Steam , the Steam Deck's sales have reportedly fallen by 82% on average, due to the price increase for both LCD and OLED models. The analysis is based on the Steam Deck's position in the weekly top seller rankings on Steam , including calculations and estimates made regarding revenue from the devices. Boiling Steam claims that a 72% revenue contraction and a 54% price increase have "completely shut down the demand" for the Steam Deck, which has ultimately resulted in the suggested
82% fewer units sold on average. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

These certainly aren't far-fetched suggestions, especially because some of
the official data from Valve indicates that. In the global weekly top seller rankings, the Steam Deck is currently in 14th place, a drastic fall from a position in the top five.

It's also worth noting that the LCD model is discontinued (still pending discontinuation in Australia), meaning the minimum consumers would have to spend for a Steam Deck would be $789 / 649 / AU$1,199 for the 512GB OLED model. Stock for the latter and its 1TB counterpart is also intermittent due to RAM and memory shortages. You may like Due to rising memory and storage costs the Steam Deck now costs 40% more The price of MSI's Claw 8 EX AI+ is the most absurd thing I've seen lately Steam Deck too expensive? The Lenovo Legion Go S is back to its lowest-ever price on Amazon (Image credit: Valve) Worse value Most importantly, both OLED models are priced much closer to the Steam Machine ($1,049 / 879 / AU$1,609) than before, which is a more powerful fully-fledged desktop gaming PC and perhaps that explains why the mini
gaming PC is currently third in weekly top seller rankings on Steam (even if it's only been there for a week).

The Steam Deck is also an aging device, with more powerful mobile hardware
for handheld gaming having been released since the launch of Valve's
handheld. The Steam Deck used to get a pass as it was a lot cheaper than newer, more powerful, competitors, but due to the price increase that's no longer the case. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

It's not all Valve's fault, as the RAM crisis has effectively hit every PC manufacturer in 2026. After all, it's the reason why the Steam Machine costs as much as it does, as the market conditions forced Valve's hand to avoid selling at a loss.

However, the supposed significant drop in Steam Deck demand from consumers, combined with the $1,000+ prices for other handheld gaming PCs, serves as a strong indication that handheld PC gaming is becoming a very niche option for gamers once again and it wasn't exactly mainstream to begin with. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/steam-deck/new-estimate-suggests-valves-steam -deck-sales-have-decreased-by-82-percent-and-the-reason-shouldnt-be-a-surprise


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