A new report from Omdia currently doing the rounds is that the Steam Deck from Valve is set to hit 3 million sales during 2023.
We already knew it had hit at least 1 million in 2022, when a KDE developer gave away the figure but Valve actually hasn't talked about the sales figures yet. It's easy to see why Valve aren't announcing any figures — but it seems others will do it for them anyway like this. The report estimates Valve hit about 1.6 million during 2022 and will ship 1.9 million in 2023.
So why don't Valve give out any figures themselves? Valve has always been pretty tight-lipped about details, and this is really no different to their normal operation. They don't need to give out figures either, they're a private company and don't have anyone to please but their own pockets. If they did release regular figures, can you imagine the wider headlines from the major gaming press (and likely other media too)? No doubt it would be instantly talked down like a failure because it's not hitting the levels of the Switch or Xbox.
As we know, it doesn't need to shift multiple millions per month for Valve, since it's part of a single ecosystem where they continue to print money with their 30% cut of Steam games. It doesn't really help though that it's sold in very limited places (mostly via Steam or Komodo), with the only actual retail presence recently announced in Asia and even there it's limited. So when you think it's shifting this many with no traditional retail store presence outside of the previous link talking about a few Asian regions, and still only being available in select countries officially worldwide, it's doing well overall.
Realistically speaking, the Steam Deck is a niche device, especially considering a lot of people using Steam would already have a PC or Laptop to play their games. That said, it does seem to be hitting above its weight, as Valve devs noted over around 42% of people buying one ended up spending the majority of their gaming time with it. Plus, with a Steam Deck 2 likely years away, there's no reason to hold off on picking one up now if you want to play PC games on the go that it enables.
What are your thoughts?
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Three million units may not sound like a lot compared to console numbers. But personally I think that's a respectable number.
Bearing in mind this is a device that is based on Linux. Consider that many Windows gamers are straight up dead set against Linux. Now also consider that this isn't something that most PC gamers would initially think or see reason to buy, that is a good chunk of them are quite content with their desktop gaming setup.
Finally, it's only possible to buy via Steam itself, where realistically only those types of people live. Thus a lot of console gamers may never see it.
Even if we were to say that every Linux user who was already using Steam prior to the decks release were to buy the Deck, even then number of units sold is still larger than the previous Linux user base. Thus ruling out the idea that "well only Linux users bought it" and clearly a good chunk of previously non-Linux gamers purchased it.
So all these things put together.. that's a pretty damn respectable number of units sold!
Bearing in mind this is a device that is based on Linux. Consider that many Windows gamers are straight up dead set against Linux. Now also consider that this isn't something that most PC gamers would initially think or see reason to buy, that is a good chunk of them are quite content with their desktop gaming setup.
Finally, it's only possible to buy via Steam itself, where realistically only those types of people live. Thus a lot of console gamers may never see it.
Even if we were to say that every Linux user who was already using Steam prior to the decks release were to buy the Deck, even then number of units sold is still larger than the previous Linux user base. Thus ruling out the idea that "well only Linux users bought it" and clearly a good chunk of previously non-Linux gamers purchased it.
So all these things put together.. that's a pretty damn respectable number of units sold!
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CruelAngel Apr 7, 2023
I would like to add one other thing that makes the Deck a bit nieche besides the above listed: Its size.
The deck is huge and heavy. So while you can use it as a handheld its not really comparable to the handhelds of 1-2 generations ago where they were akin to mobile phones in size, you could just slip in your pocket and maybe play a bit even while commuting in a crowded vehicle. (To be fair the switch too is also large, but the deck is even larger)
The deck is huge and heavy. So while you can use it as a handheld its not really comparable to the handhelds of 1-2 generations ago where they were akin to mobile phones in size, you could just slip in your pocket and maybe play a bit even while commuting in a crowded vehicle. (To be fair the switch too is also large, but the deck is even larger)
1 Likes, Who?
StoneColdSpider Apr 7, 2023
Three million units may not sound like a lot compared to console numbers. But personally I think that's a respectable number.Even more respectable when you realise that its not available in all countries either....
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What makes it niche is mostly that it is (due to size and type of games) a handheld for adults (not in the NSFW meaning of course). There is just a limited market for adults buying dedicated gaming hardware that is only good for a single user more or less. Consoles (like TVs) are seen as shared family objects and previous small handhelds are mostly bought for children to play with. And regular PCs/Laptops always serve for more than just gaming.
Admittedly, more and more single households and the devaluation of the TV set / living room as a central family gathering place has opened up a market for handhelds like the Deck and the Switch (although the Switch Lite is again targeted at children mostly), but it is still a very limited market, similar to VR gaming hardware.
Admittedly, more and more single households and the devaluation of the TV set / living room as a central family gathering place has opened up a market for handhelds like the Deck and the Switch (although the Switch Lite is again targeted at children mostly), but it is still a very limited market, similar to VR gaming hardware.
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Even Nintendo has five to ten times the turnover of Valve. Microsoft and Sony are completely out of reach. These are large listed corporations. Valve is basically a family business. It is 100% owned by GabeN and his family. It's pretty unique that a company that runs a platform as significant as Steam is organised like that to this day. That is simply a fact.
I am glad that Valve has remained Valve until today and has not gone the way of Blizzard and others. But when distributing a console, it is not only the product that is decisive, but also the retail trade. For this, you have to pre-produce large quantities, advertise them and put them on the market where they may then lie for months. Around the world. Customers can also simply order the Steam Deck from Amazon or wherever else they like.
Whether Valve will be able to establish such a distribution network remains questionable, as this will presumably require billions in investment. Nintendo and others get this money from the shareholders. Valve simply has to earn this money (first).
The question is also whether they want to turn such a big wheel at all. Three million is already a big challenge for an owner-managed company like Valve. Warranties, repairs, customer enquiries, support, etc. are all tied up in that.
If Valve were organised differently, they could sell many times more. Even notorious console players are very positive about the Deck when they get their hands on one.
Last edited by 1xok on 7 April 2023 at 11:08 am UTC
I am glad that Valve has remained Valve until today and has not gone the way of Blizzard and others. But when distributing a console, it is not only the product that is decisive, but also the retail trade. For this, you have to pre-produce large quantities, advertise them and put them on the market where they may then lie for months. Around the world. Customers can also simply order the Steam Deck from Amazon or wherever else they like.
Whether Valve will be able to establish such a distribution network remains questionable, as this will presumably require billions in investment. Nintendo and others get this money from the shareholders. Valve simply has to earn this money (first).
The question is also whether they want to turn such a big wheel at all. Three million is already a big challenge for an owner-managed company like Valve. Warranties, repairs, customer enquiries, support, etc. are all tied up in that.
If Valve were organised differently, they could sell many times more. Even notorious console players are very positive about the Deck when they get their hands on one.
Last edited by 1xok on 7 April 2023 at 11:08 am UTC
2 Likes, Who?
I would like to add one other thing that makes the Deck a bit nieche besides the above listed: Its size.This may not be as much of an issue as it appears - handhelds have been skewing towards being bigger for a few generations now, and if I'm remembering right (though I admit it has been a while), the best-selling iterations of several of Nintendo's handhelds were the "LL"/"XL" versions, when available. This even got to the point where the standard-sized version of the New 3DS revision of the Nintendo 3DS skipped the company's biggest market of North America altogether.
The deck is huge and heavy. So while you can use it as a handheld its not really comparable to the handhelds of 1-2 generations ago where they were akin to mobile phones in size, you could just slip in your pocket and maybe play a bit even while commuting in a crowded vehicle. (To be fair the switch too is also large, but the deck is even larger)
2 Likes, Who?
I would like to add one other thing that makes the Deck a bit nieche besides the above listed: Its size.This may not be as much of an issue as it appears - handhelds have been skewing towards being bigger for a few generations now, and if I'm remembering right (though I admit it has been a while), the best-selling iterations of several of Nintendo's handhelds were the "LL"/"XL" versions, when available. This even got to the point where the standard-sized version of the New 3DS revision of the Nintendo 3DS skipped the company's biggest market of North America altogether.
The deck is huge and heavy. So while you can use it as a handheld its not really comparable to the handhelds of 1-2 generations ago where they were akin to mobile phones in size, you could just slip in your pocket and maybe play a bit even while commuting in a crowded vehicle. (To be fair the switch too is also large, but the deck is even larger)
The Atari Lynx wasn't much smaller than the Deck, and it had a tiny screen. But I guess that was more than 1-2 generations ago.
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ElamanOpiskelija Apr 7, 2023
Good that the GPD guys warned us early enough that this Steam Deck thing was never going to catch on. "Only" 3 million? peanuts, I say. Peanuts!
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on_en_a_gros Apr 7, 2023
GPD
????
No clue to what you are referring too.
A mini pc / handheld, a power beast but with high price.
https://www.gpd.hk/product
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????https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2022/04/gpd-are-getting-quite-desperate-against-the-steam-deck/
No clue to what you are referring too.
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I would like to add one other thing that makes the Deck a bit nieche besides the above listed: Its size.I don't think that's an issue really. Every article I've ever seen discuss that, the person concludes that because of the ergonomics it's actually really easy to hold and use, more so than the Switch.
The deck is huge and heavy. So while you can use it as a handheld its not really comparable to the handhelds of 1-2 generations ago where they were akin to mobile phones in size, you could just slip in your pocket and maybe play a bit even while commuting in a crowded vehicle. (To be fair the switch too is also large, but the deck is even larger)
2 Likes, Who?
Notably, not in China as I recall.Three million units may not sound like a lot compared to console numbers. But personally I think that's a respectable number.Even more respectable when you realise that its not available in all countries either....
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OK, so 3 million units. And, how many Linux desktop users are on Steam? It's certainly significant from our point of view. These are the kinds of figures that make Linux a bigger target for game development than Mac.
Clearly it could be selling more--it lacks retail channels and is available in a limited chunk of the world. With worldwide distribution and sales through Amazon and maybe appropriate big retail stores, you'd figure it could at least triple those numbers. Valve is probably not able or willing to go that big, but I think it's likely they will continue to expand their sales channels for it somewhat, gradually adding more areas, maybe another regional partner or two, and so on. So it's plausible sales will continue to accelerate in 2023 to at least 50% more than the report's predicted rate.
Clearly it could be selling more--it lacks retail channels and is available in a limited chunk of the world. With worldwide distribution and sales through Amazon and maybe appropriate big retail stores, you'd figure it could at least triple those numbers. Valve is probably not able or willing to go that big, but I think it's likely they will continue to expand their sales channels for it somewhat, gradually adding more areas, maybe another regional partner or two, and so on. So it's plausible sales will continue to accelerate in 2023 to at least 50% more than the report's predicted rate.
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ElectricPrism Apr 7, 2023
So why don't Valve give out any figures themselves? Valve has always been pretty tight-lipped about details, and this is really no different to their normal operation. They don't need to give out figures either, they're a private company and don't have anyone to please but their own pockets. If they did release regular figures, can you imagine the wider headlines from the major gaming press (and likely other media too)? No doubt it would be instantly talked down like a failure because it's not hitting the levels of the Switch or Xbox.
Soo true. The Gaming Media Apparatus bread and butter for a long time has been the big 3.
After seeing the headlines Q4 2015 go after Valve for "not staying in their lane" -- it's sad Vultures and Predators will exploit Transparency to increase website traffic and clicks.
The 2 rules to success are: 1. Not always sharing everything you know.
Good on Valve, they've done a spectacular job so far and I'm sure will carve out their niche well as they already have.
It feels like a time for celebration.
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"So when you think it's shifting this many with no traditional retail store presence outside of the previous link talking about a few Asian regions, and still only being available in select countries officially worldwide, it's doing well overall. "
considering the limited distribution its doing well, but considering the value proposition, its not very good.
"Realistically speaking, the Steam Deck is a niche device, especially considering a lot of people using Steam would already have a PC or Laptop to play their games. "
sure, but i dont think every nintendo switch gamer didnt had an 3DS or other platform prior to purchasing an switch, and laptops/pcs cant replace an handheld device (not that pc gamers would know this anyway, many of then just care about graphics and would never purchase an handheld that is weak compared to their mainrig anyway)
considering the limited distribution its doing well, but considering the value proposition, its not very good.
"Realistically speaking, the Steam Deck is a niche device, especially considering a lot of people using Steam would already have a PC or Laptop to play their games. "
sure, but i dont think every nintendo switch gamer didnt had an 3DS or other platform prior to purchasing an switch, and laptops/pcs cant replace an handheld device (not that pc gamers would know this anyway, many of then just care about graphics and would never purchase an handheld that is weak compared to their mainrig anyway)
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i think they need more marketing...
i mean, they have the big relases (elden ring etc) so quality is not the issue.
they have tons of games, more than any console ever had, so quantity is not the issue.
but maybe they barely can produce enough units to meet the current demand, so there is no point in inscreasing the demand with marketing?
i mean, they have the big relases (elden ring etc) so quality is not the issue.
they have tons of games, more than any console ever had, so quantity is not the issue.
but maybe they barely can produce enough units to meet the current demand, so there is no point in inscreasing the demand with marketing?
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but maybe they barely can produce enough units to meet the current demand, so there is no point in increasing the demand with marketing?The recent Steam Sale that had 10% off the Deck caused a big run on the UK 64GB model, so much so that it not only went out of stock in the final few days of the sale, but it has remained out of stock ever since then! So, yes, it does look like - for that model in the UK at least - they aren't making enough Decks to meet demand...
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Consider that many Windows gamers are straight up dead set against Linux.Oh yes, I've seen a plenty of windows slaves hating linux with boiling blood. It is quite unsettling to see people who hate freedom so much and defend their shackles.
that is the issue with us linux users:
we see freedom as freedom to use,modify and distribute an software, without anyone trying to restrict us in what we can do.
but in pratice we have tons of restrictions upon us due to the lack of support from software/hardware vendors (im counting games as sofwares), for years we didnt had many games to play, even if we could play then it was a pain to make then work properly that is, if it was possible at all, some times you followed the entire tutorial of how to install something on linux, but it didnt worked on your distro, or your video card vendor or it did for someone else but not for you for unknow reasons, it was a mess!
and online games are still an issue.
windows users see freedom as the ability to do whatever they want
sure they cant modify some parts of the system, but realistically that is too niche, most of then dont care about desktop customization, what they care about is being able to play whatever they want and be able to edit videos with tons of options of video editing softwares, being able to make games (we barely had any option) being able to use all photoshop features +gimp if you think photoshop isnt as good as gimp...
as for modifying? moding was aways an possibility on pc gaming, compared to that, what we had? we could chose between countless desktop enviroments that do the same thing?
try to 3D modeling with KDE without blender to see if its "freedom".
windows users DONT HATE FREEDOM, they just think windows gives then more freedom.
they dont have a clue about what source code is, nor couldnt care less, source code seems useless from the point of view of an non programmer, if you cand understand an code to do anything with it, what is the point ?
now, compare the ammount of pre built options of an "super tux" game with the ammount of easy to use power ups and traps in your average "mario maker", what gives more freedom to the average joe ?
i know a lot of windows users who hate linux, not because they never tried, but because they did and hated it.
then they were haressed by the community who were too busy trashtalking then to offer any help to fix their issues.
i grew up with linux users calling me lazy and blaming me for everything that goes wrong with my system, yet i tried to prove then wrong by trying to learn linux anyway, while most people would just quit it instead and start hating linux, its community, everything involved.
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