Summary
Handheld gaming has come a long way over the years, from the original 1978 Merlin, to the popularity of Nintendo’s Game Boy, and now, to the stage where players can take their PC libraries - including major AAA titles likeGod of WarorElden Ring- on the go with the likes of the ROG Ally or theSteam Deck. Compared to the Windows-based handhelds on the market, Valve’s offering - which runs on the Linux-based SteamOS - proved to be popular due to its lower price point, and an OLED offering was released in November last year that resolved several issues players had about the original LCD models, with an improved screen, battery, and the option for a larger amount of internal storage.
The Steam Deck was also praised for how Valve enabled players to very easily set up and play games in their Steam libraries, with a “Verified” system that showed which titles had been tested and would be expected to play without issue, which ones were “Playable” but had minor issues such as needing to use the on-screen keyboard to input information for a third party launcher like Ubisoft or Rockstar, or didn’t have button glyphs appearing on-screen, or those that were deemed Unsupported, usually due to potential issues with Linux compatibility or anti-cheat systems - something that players have found workarounds for throughinstalling Windows and dual-booting the console.
The system had animpressive number of Verified games at launch, and that number grew in the years that followed. Players also experimented and found several untested titles that would play at a decent quality on the device to further expand the available catalog, with several forums dedicated to what titles could play on the Steam Deck.
All titles that have been tested maintain those Verified ratings for both LCD and OLED models.
10 Best Steam Deck Games, Ranked
Valve’s ultra-powerful handheld gaming PC, the Steam Deck, has a massive - even daunting - library of games. Here are some of its highlights.
The Outer Packaging Makes It Easy To Identify And Steal
Since Valve first launched the Steam Deck, there has been an issue with players not receiving their packages, and as soon as unboxing videos started hitting the internet, it became clear why. While the original Steam Deck’s packaging was clearly designed to generate excitement about receiving Valve’s new console, it made it extremely obvious what the device was to anyone who came across it, which a lot of customers took toSteam’s community forums to complain about, explaining that it had resulted in a string of thefts before the delivery was even completed, or if any devices were left on porches.
There have since been reports on ther/SteamDeckSubreddit that Valve listened and changed the design of the outer packaging to make it plain, while the interior still showed the Valve branding. However, as shown byChildOfTheBasilisk59,the shipping labels still said clearly that the item was a Steam Deck and what model it was.While many had assumed this was a requirement for international shipping to get it through customs, this was reportedly also the case on domestic packages and resulted in further thefts.
Despite this clearly being a step in the right direction, new posts suggest that the outer packaging has changed again, reverting back to the classic design. This packaging featured images mixed in with the traditional “Fragile” image warnings that, while potentially cryptic to those who aren’t in the gaming community, are extremely obvious to those who are. As shared by RedditorCapable-Track2631,the outer packaging has gone back to featuring images depicting elements of Valve’s acclaimed first-person puzzler game,Portal, such as the companion cube, which fans of the game will immediately connect to the Steam Deck due to the package’s size and connection to Valve. If that’s not obvious enough,there’s another image showing the Steam Deck logo nearby. Several comments on the thread stated that this appears to be “even clearer with the OLED model” as well.
Ultimately, theft can happen regardless of how a package is labeled, but openly advertising what is inside does make it even more of a target. While many packages such as phones, tablets, laptops, or consoles tend to come in an additional, blank outer box to avoid making it obvious what’s inside, it seems like Valve has eschewed that with just the one piece of packaging for theSteam Deck, likely in a bid to be more eco-friendly. Considering the number of complaints since the original LCD models launched in February 2022, however, Valve should definitely attempt to make its packaging as discreet as possible to make it less obvious what’s inside, even if this does come at the cost of some fun marketing.
Steam Deck
The Steam Deck, a handheld gaming computer, was released by Valve in February 2022. Similar to the Nintendo Switch, the Steam Deck has a docking mode that allows gamers to easily connect to a full-size monitor. The computer’s screen is 7 inches across, features 1280x800 graphics, and is run on Valve’s SteamOS.
