The reveal of the Steam Deck last week triggered plenty of discussion about its merits when compared to the similarly-priced Switch OLED Model, and while it's hard to imagine Valve competing directly with Nintendo in this handheld battleground, it's clear that for some people, the decision about whether or not they should lay down cash on the OLED Switch this year just got a little bit harder (as you'll see from the results of our poll on this very topic).
However, as is so often the case, the internet hive mind has decided that the whole 'Switch Vs Steam Deck' thing is worthy of lampooning, hence the fact that we've seen a few memes pop up over the past few days – some of which are more amusing than others, it has to be said.
One of the most amusing/divisive takes on the whole situation relates to a Twitter account that has been established with the express intention of highlighting the games you can play on the Steam Deck but not on the Switch:
Have you spotted any other amusing memes relating to the Steam Deck Vs Switch war? Let us know with a comment below.
Comments 218
My hope is that the Steam Deck gaslights Nintendo into giving their customers something on the same level inside a couple or few years.
What Steam Deck didn't have from Nintendo Switch ?
A physical cartridge.
Keep going physical media.
#letsgophysical 🤟
Removed - unconstructive
Steam deck: Can't run Hyrule Warriors: AoC
Switch: Can't run Hyrule Warriors: AoC
No one wins
Steam Deck sounds to much like something you’d find in a horrific section of an adult website. I don’t think Nintendo has anything to worry about. I’ll get the OLED Switch over that double entendre any day.
@mariomaster96 That got me
@Anti-Matter I like physical but I finally switch over to digital. Physical just create future waste and is bad for the environment.
They both run can play Fortnite, so they both lose. It's only fair. I don't make the rules, I just enforce them.
While I find the idea of Valve dethroning Nintendo as the king of handhelds hilarious and ridiculous, I appreciate the competition as it always leads towards innovation.
I still find the Deck ugly and it doesn't look as comfy to use as the Switch tho, however I find its internals interesting
Steam Deck memes! Yay.
Very excited for it. Now I don’t have to wait for any ports to the Switch, anymore! And it’s more then enough power for any emulation, since it’s open source.
THANK YOU VALVE
The Steam Deck, if it lives up to its promise, is going to sell great numbers. The built in udience is huge and - here's the thing - it can happily co-exist with the Switch. These memes are just popping up due to saddoes wanting to create a rivalry that simply doesn't exist. My preorder for this is in, but it will never replace my Switch.
@Hero8-Bit
I am dinosaur.
I still like to collect video games in physical.
I keep them safely and display them neatly so they will not damaging the environments.
#keepgoingohysical 🤟
I love the switch, but it was already behind when it first released (typical Nintendo). I will keep my old switch since I only have it for exclusives anyways. I might have to get the Steam Deck (Even if the name is bad).
Valve doesn't have a great track record with these things so I'm not getting my hopes up.
@Anti-Matter Thank you! Much respect! That is all.
@moodycat I've added that one to the post!
@mariomaster96 lmao
Eh, I think both have their places though I really don't see why someone suddenly loses interest in their Switch. I still love mine
@Lordplops What do you think are great numbers? can it sell 80m units? is 5m units an amazing success?
Is there a scenario where this has a negative impact on the Switch? I'm looking at it thinking that even though they are handhelds, they are aiming at different markets? This isn't the same as Sony releasing another handheld, or am I getting this wrong?
Specs are one thing. How well something works in reality. And it something very different well something is supported once it is released. Those later two will be deciding factors on the long-term viability of the Steam Deck.
Twitter memes? Well, I guess I'd be a hypocrite to object after making one myself the other day.
I like the SteamDeck. There are two problems with it for me, though, and that's that the games I play on PC, only one of them I play with controller (FFXIV), the rest of them I play with keyboard/mouse. Second, none of the games I play regularly I have on Steam.
It seems really nice, but I'm afraid I wouldn't have much of anything to play on it. Persona 4 Golden, yes, but that's it.
I think someone posted this before, but competition is good. This will make Nintendo's future products better. I guess my only fear is fewer third-party ports coming over to the Switch in the future since they'll already have portable versions on Steam. But Steam Deck will have to do pretty good numbers before that becomes a legit concern.
I've got my reserve down. I can't wait for this thing.
How well will it run games on Gamepass? Will I be able to play Forza in handheld?
@HotGoomba Dude any device could play Fortnite even your phone and tablets. The thing is on Switch you get less interruption but lower performance.
Hahaha they are kinda funny.
Nintendo really brought it upon themselves.
I saw the prototype (steam deck) in action, they really listen to the fans. Place of the buttons etc.
Heads down for valve. They really won me over.
Deck , how you la age small text on screen ??
Hopefully this site doesn't just become swamped with Steam Deck stuff. Personally I fail to see how this is really news-worthy to Nintendo fans?
@Magician would you rather Nintendo stick with the Switch for a little gear and get something more powerful (Xbox One) or get something sooner, but along the lines of this?
I see it this way:
I am sat on a train with my Switch playing Mario Kart 8 DX. A stranger (who may or may not be attractive....) sits down next to me. I offer them a joycon and we play a few rounds of MK8. This starts up a conversation about gaming, what the other person does or does not play and we both have a pleasant journey reminiscing, debating and talking. This did actually happen to me.
I am sat on a train with my Steam Deck playing League of Legends. A stranger sits down next to me and asks wtf that monstrosity is I am playing on or outright ignores me because I seem like 'one of those people'. I either do not care and keep playing or put it away, self conscious of the thing.
Which scenario do you want to be in?
Though the comparison of both handheld is great for competition sake, people had to realize that the Steam Deck at the end of the day is still just a PC and not every games are optimized to work smoothly on it so various tweaks and workarounds had to be made. Switch is a console and a mainstream dedicated gaming device, all games are optimized to work and play on it.
It really comes down to do you want a handheld that allow you to mess around with stuff or do you want a handheld that you could just pick up, pop in a game and play with no complication. Like I said in past post, Steam Deck is an open source device like your house if you leave your door open so anyone could come mess with it whether for good or bad while Switch is a closed source device and still supported by Nintendo, any games you play on it already got Nintendo's approval that they'll work on Switch so no need to tweak the games.
Whilst I am normally with Nintendo on the we are not in competition with anyone, I think on this occasion they need to take note.
Even if Valve doesnt nail it, this must have raised the question of the art of the possible with MS and Sony.
Just because they have said no in the past, no isn't always forever.
Wait until the Steam Deck's release and then wait for BoTW2 and other 1st party Nintendo games, we'll see if these memes will age like fine wine or milk
Eh, I have a PC for Steam. I'm not thrilled for playing it handheld
@jamesRainbowBoy The reason why Nintendo Life cover other brands is because most Nintendo fans also play on other platforms.
"Look someone stating the obvious. That's funny and now it's mine screw your watermark." - memes
@ozyr agreed. This isn't going to hurt nintendo in the slightest
@Magician
I was thinking the exact same thing!
@Yomogi When those unofficial ports or emulation of recent Nintendo games like Breath of the Wild on PC make an impact on the media, imagine Nintendo games at higher resolution and frame rate on a handheld.
I feel that Steam is an entirely different demographic. If the Steam deck is a player’s primary console, I’d be surprised because of the preference to have the ultimate gaming PC desktop. Steam players to me either like desktop gaming and then treat consoles as secondary, or vice-versa. So I don’t see this as direct competition so much as i see natural evolution of the consumer enjoying gaming on the go, and it seems Steam Deck may be a second choice portable.
@BlueOcean I say good luck with that. No doubt it'd look great but how long do you think it will last until Nintendo takes legal action
Meme'ers gonna meme. :3
@Doctor_Pancakes 100% agree. This is valve we're talking about. I believe this will be about as successful as the steam box
Steam Deck?? Never heard of it, sounds like something I would do in my garden.
People who have absolutely no memory of the past and/or are blissfully ignorant to the world around them: OH WOW, neat, this is going to be awesome
People who have been early adopters of any previous Valve hardware: HAHAHAHAHAH, no, no, no, no, no. Noooooooo.
@Bobb Basically you could put Steam on any device nowadays, even the Atari VCS could run it just fine. Only thing holding your library is the hardware. You could even run Steam on Switch if you're going the modding route, only thing is due to low specs games that could still be play on Vista or Windows 7 may work smoothly but the latest and greatest triple A will probably be a struggle. The modding community already proved that you could run Linux, Steam, Windows, and Android on Switch just fine, how they'll perform on Switch though is another story but modding your Switch could give you the stepping stone to upgrade it like a PC.
@Yomogi I'm not saying that I'm waiting for it (and I have my legal copy right here), I'm just saying that we've seen mods of Breath of the Wild at 60fps on PC and that has been posted on Nintendo Life. You do realise that the same thing on a handheld is a bigger impact, right? Even if it's just comparisons between the two systems. We're going to see that because those mods already exist and Steam Deck will be able to play them. Switch's lack of power will be more evident. It's like comparing The Witcher 3 or Doom on both systems, interesting enough to, at least, watch.
@InkIdols
@Ozyr
I love nintendo, but I think this'll have an impact.
I've wanted more from the switch since my internal memory ran out (save data stuff with games like dragon quest builder is massive), and I wanted it 2-ish years ago.
While the oled has some interest for me, steam deck means that I can play a large number of games I had always hoped would come to switch, and further, I can finally play skyrim and fallout 4 MODDED on a handheld.
I would've gotten an oled. Now, I won't. I suspect that I'm not alone in this.
I think nintendo will still make plenty of money, but I think they could've made a lot more money.
Dont get me wrong, I think hardware wise the steam deck is cool but I get the feeling its going to be a pain to live with. I just have images of me 6 months down the line swearing at it as I wage a fiddly battle trying to balance the new game's performance against the system's limitations.
Dont get me wrong, its something Valve could very easily fix on their end but we're still waiting on the other things in the store they was going to fix, other than trying to police boobs.
A worth it steam deck is what 800 us dollars? That 512g, ssd, and glass screen... while the base deck is missing those features and cost 400 no dock, no controller. Swich comes with 2 controllers separate from system. I mean sweet u want a steam deck I do to just for pc functionality ... but other than portability why not buy a good computer?
What a wothless article. One thing I find funny, is how people that believed those rumors, are now bashing Nintendo for not doing it. Blame your famed "insiders", for telling lies. But sometimes memes due tell the truth. Sega also "did what Nintendon't", and look what happened to them hehehe.
@Dethmunk
Well steam deck as everything i wanted and i did not get it on switch: all assassins creed, deus ex human revolution and mankind divided, dishonoured 1&2, fallout 4, far cry 4/5 ,sekiro,dark soul 2&3,dead space trilogy ,horizon, ecc and a lot of retrogame like thief1,2,and 3
@Anti-Matter yes. This. 100%.
@Anti-Matter Actually that isn’t true. If you use a PC with a disc drive then you can add games with discs to your Steam account which can then be played with the Steam Deck.
@BlueOcean But in the end, it won't matter, 1st party games like the upcoming BoTW2 will still sell on the Switch and the more these Mods gets publicized, the more Nintendo will take action, especially now that everyone's calling the SD a "Nintendo Switch" killer. So yeah, goodluck with that
@rockodoodle I'm indifferent. Just a bump in performance, big or small, sooner or later, would be nice.
@nessisonett
I prefer legit games in disc or cartridge with official cover + box + manual booklet inside.
They are golden treasures for me.
@Kiwi_Unlimited well, agree to disagree
@RadioHedgeFund I can only speak of my experiences of London transport but anyone who sits down next to me and wants to talk about the game I’m playing is probably aiming to grab my console and leg it at the next stop.
@Yomogi I don't get the "good luck" part, I'm just stating the obvious and I didn't say that this would damage Nintendo's sales but that the comparisons will come. Steam Deck is as legal as a PC and Nintendo can't do anything about that. They can only fight illegal distribution of games.
Only thing bad about the Steam Desk is that its bulky as hell. Switch is at least more portable and designed well.
I still love my OG Switch to bits and was dithering on whether to buy an OLED but then the Steam Deck came along and I got my reservation order in. If a more powerful Switch had been announced, I probably would have gone for that instead. Right now I’m happy to have a portable Fire Pro machine sometime this winter.
This may appeal to people who doesnt have a high end pc and want to play without the need to have a good graphic card. I do have a high end pc and there Isn't a lot do to. The thing with Nintendo is, that their games are more interesting to play, it brings you i into another world of instead your regular pc shooters, Fifa slap a new year on the front games. The world of Nintendo is more interesting to me than the pc one. Of course there are a few pc games that are good to play. I dont think that the Steamdeck will do any sales damage to the Switch due to the quality of Nintendo games like Zelda, Bayonetta, Mario and so forth. Its an interesting piece of hardware for sure, if done correctly it could have the potential to become another console besides Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo to join the market. I just hope that if its succesful enough, that companies develope games for it, new ideas, new IP.
@jamesRainbowBoy Agreed. It was fine at first but it's getting tiresome... it's not Nintendo news, and it's not even Valve news anymore. They're just chasing that sweet, sweet SEO.
Steam dead does not come with a dock. Switch does. Steam dead cannot play all steam games just mobile games.switch can play all switch games. Steam dead has very slow memory and a two hour battery life for some games. Switch smallest battery life is 4 hours. And switch has the games. Steam .ps5 and Xbox series x combined cannot even touch BOTW. MARIO ODYSSEE. XENOBLADE 2. SPLATOON 2 FIRE EMBLEM 3 HOUSES. ANIMAL CROSSING. THE SWITCH has the best games. And just like when the black and white game boy SLAUGHTERED AND DESTROYED the game gear. Horse power .means NOTHING. it is all about the games. And with almost 100 million units sold. Not shipped BUT SOLD. THE switch does what the steam dead don't. Give it up Sony owned media. You cannot beat the switch. THE PS5 DOOR STOP FAILED . AND THE STEAM DEAD PAPER CLIP WILL FAIL AS WELL. And what I mean by failed is that they can not beat the switch with horse power alone. You gotta have the games. And Sony and valve just don't. Have the games. FACT NOT AN OPINION.
I like the idea of the Steam Deck but the games I tend to play on PC aren't always games that will work well with a controller or on a 7 inch screen. That's why I play them on PC.
I can't imagine trying to play a game like Sins of a Solar Empire like that. Even with a touchscreen, the screen is too small.
https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/2150180
My favourite.
@Anti-Matter After our bodies pass to the other realm, all our junk becomes waste, no matter how neatly we stored it in life. I have a small collection, so I understand this notion, well. But, games as a service will be the next evolution, so enjoy what you have and count your blessings!
@RadioHedgeFund self conscious over a gaming device? 🤣🤣wow. When you get to be my age, you'll understand that the thoughts of other people don't really matter. Especially people who you may never interact with or see again. Life is too short to worry about what other people think of you.
The real reason why the Game Boy and DS portables always defeated their competitors that were much more powerful and had better technology, like the Game Gear or the PSP, is because not only portables need to be cheap and viable, but also good games, technology is nothing without games.
And this is why the Steam Deck is promising, it is not even released yet, and it already has a game library better than the Switch.
Omfg guys have you seen the Vita specs omg the 3DS is destroyed especially once we hack it to play emulators and download games we have uuuuh totally legally purchased.
@SalvorHardin The Vita lost because the 3DS had better games, same goes for the PSP losing to the DS and the Game Gear losing to the Game Boy.
The Steam Deck does not have this problem, it wasn't even released yet, and it already has a game library better than the Switch, and I'm not talking about emulators.
Have both preordered and though things may change I'm seriously considering cancelling my Switch OLED order. Hopefully we get a spec bumped model in 2022!
Is it just me or does the Steam Deck look like the Sega Game Gear?
Idk which side of this "console war" is more annoying 1)nintendo fans acting threatened over another handheld system being in the conversation at all, or 2)deck enthusiasts who are assuming it's going to be a switch killer.
It looks interesting, and I'm eagerly awaiting reviews
@Ghost_of_Hasashi that's cool info to know.
What I should have said on my previous way-too-short comment was that I don't even play the Switch on handheld, so I'm not the target audience for the Steam Deck.
@tntswitchfan68
PS5 still have some games.
At least i can consider Planet Coaster, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart so far from PS5 + play PS4 games on PS5.
More game choices on upcoming year.
Steam Deck isn't about families, it isn't about Nintendo games, it isn't about flexibility.
Switch isn't about hardcore games, it isn't about PC, it isn't about taking your PC library offline.
Yes, they compete. Everything competes with each other. But these two devices complement each other.
What I find fascinating about Steam Deck is that handhelds have always attracted the hack and homebrew scene but Steam Deck is an open system already and, at the same time, the most powerful handheld ever. People can play PC games on it but also run emulators legally if the own the games.
I've had a Steam account for a very long time. I bought an Alienware Alpha with Steam OS when they came out and I have a Steam Deck on pre-order. However, anyone that thinks the Steam Deck is going to put some huge dent in Switch sales is in for a rude awakening. Most of us Steam users are use to playing on PC's that can do 4k at 60+fps on Ultra settings. While the novelty of playing your steam games on a dedicated "handheld" will be fun at first, the low specs of the system compared to gaming PC's will quickly become apparent. The next issue is the thing is a big ugly monstrosity. While I'm fine pulling my tablet or Switch out on a plane, I can't imagine trying to use the Steam Deck on a plane. So, why did I pre-order one? Well, I buy all the new systems. Keeping it for very long is probably unlikely, but we'll see.
@BloodNinja
I know we are not eternal being.
At least i can enjoy having games in physical media before i passed away.
When future video games become digital and streaming only, i stop following future video games and back to digging my retro games. DDR will be always in my heart even i'm getting older. And someday, all my games will become Yokai after being neglected for very long time.
NGL some of these memes are pretty good, especially the ones that go beyond "sTeAMdEck iS a sWItcH KiLleR."
The rude awakening some will have, when they finally realise nothing is optimised for the Deck ...
Devices like these are nothing new. GDP Win 3, OnexPlayer, SMACH Z, Aya Neo, and some others tried the same thing. Steam Deck is no console. It's a PC, and as such it needs a *****-ton of raw power which it can throw at games - especially newer ones. It doesn't have that power. Not now and most certainly not in the long run. Why do people still fall for such things? I guess it's "hope because of the company"?
The Deck has;
Free online
Free cloud support
Bluetooth Support
On system party chat support
Real discounts
Legacy title support
No friend code
And for that, the Deck wins for me
@Ghost_of_Hasashi
points firearm at phone and tablet (oh and nearly all of my other devices)
I'm sorry...
Can the Deck be connected to a TV?
@Anti-Matter They are legit games. PC games in a box with a disc.
@victordamazio
The deck isn’t even the first portable that can run PC games and that didn’t do much to help them sell but they also didn’t hordes of zealots relentlessly trying to distort reality. They could just settle with “neat thing that runs PC games” which is reasonable but they have to go with “The switch is finished” and which is utter nonsense. This device appeals mainly to a segment of the PC audience there is little to attract the mainstream audience that isn’t interested in PC gaming, you gravely overestimate how much they’d care about the massive library of PC games especially when running the bulk of them won’t be simple as plugging a cartridge into a gameboy/switch and having everything working like it should without having to worry about input mappers and incomprehensible graphic settings,
@nessisonett
But alas, i have no interest with PC games anymore.
My gaming world are just only consoles and handhelds with physical media.
As someone who is interested in the Steam Deck I don't even bother comparing the two in my mind, each one is well suited for a specific and different purpose, if you can ignore the fact that they are both handheld devices they cater to two very different userbases.
@Anti-Matter This would be a handheld that you’re playing those games on though. Plus it’ll play as many dodgy shovelware games as you want.
The people posting these memes are the ones who "expected" Nintendo to announce Switch Pro and now, they have hurt feelings. There already exist in the market, 3 or so similar devices to the steam deck so not sure why this isn't being compared to them.
@Dpishere As someone who is interested in the Steam Deck I don't even bother comparing the two in my mind, each one is well suited for a specific and different purpose, if you can ignore the fact that they are both handheld devices they cater to two very different userbases.
No they don't. They both cater to gamers many who choose Switch as their secondary device behind a gaming PC.
Every time something comes out that puts Nintendo's hardware to shame people say 'Nintendo isn't really competing against that'. Nevermind that many multiplatform games on Switch run better on other hardware, be it PC or other consoles and are cheaper on that other hardware. Steam sale prices, while not as good as they used to be are still better than NIntendo's sale prices.
I’d still rather have a switch as a handheld. I play handheld a lot less than at home on the TV. I’d rather play PC games on a more powerful system at higher frame rates & settings as opposed to a cut down experience on the go. I ordered an OLED switch which I think will be great.
I don't see this as a competition in the slightest, and I don't think Nintendo or Valve do either. They're just parallel options for consumers to consider with different libraries of games. Yeah, the whole emulation argument is there now for people who just want to stir the pot, but I will own both of these devices, and still play Breath of the Wild on Switch. I can understand people wanting to emulate older games Nintendo refuse to bring to the Switch Online library from the N64, GameCube, etc... and it will do that brilliantly via Dolphin etc... but my Switch will still be my Switch, and the Deck will be where Steam becomes a portable, relaxed option.
@Edu23XWiiU One thing I find funny, is how people that believed those rumors, are now bashing Nintendo for not doing it.
Valve just showed everyone what Nintendo COULD have done and they also showed everyone how expensive the Switch is in comparison. I doubt Valve wanted to show people that but it couldn't be avoided.
I never believed the Pro rumors and I still think Nintendo messed up by not releasing more powerful hardware.
while i dont think nintendo has anything to worry about i do at least hope this encourages them to update their hardware since it can feel like a roll of the dice when it comes to third party games, or even outsourced first party IPs like the latest hyrule warriors.
be it an updated switch model or even a fully backwards compatible "switch 2"
@lokozar The rude awakening some will have, when they finally realise nothing is optimised for the Deck ...
Kinda like when people play multiplat games that are downgraded to run on the Switch (or when people play Hyrule Warriors AOC). On PC though, modders love to write mods that do all kinds of things, even optimizing and bug fixing.
@PhhhCough life’s also to short to take a chance that a hot girl or guy might sit next to you and want to play Mario Kart 😅
@victordamazio the Gameboy didn’t beat the GameGear and the Lynx because it had better games. It beat them because of battery life, because the price was much cheaper and because the console experiences on those handhelds weren’t actually well suited to short bursts of handheld play.
The same story was also true when comparing the Vita to the 3DS. Vita had some incredible AAA style games in its early days… they just didn’t necessarily turn out to be the games that people wanted to play on the train for 10-15 minutes a pop.
It’s telling (for a number of reasons) that Valve introduced the Steam Deck by showing it playing Stardew Valley - not one of the “not on Switch” AAA games that many of the prospective audience for the Steam Deck are fantasising about playing on it.
It is kind of a threat to Nintendo in the sense that it reduces the appeal of the Switch eShop to some developers and indie game sales might suffer if the indie buying “whales” migrate back to Steam. It’s not an existential threat though IMO like a Vita 2 rapidly hitting 20 million sales would be.
It is a death bell to the Android gaming ecosystem. Not necessarily with the Steam Deck itself (which probably won’t hit 3 million units let alone 10 million units) but with the cheaper OEM clones with more varied specs that will be encouraged to follow once Valve blazes a trail.
I love how people get mad at Nintendo for not doing a switch pro when the only people who said they would were Bloomberg and YouTubers like switch prime or switch force who both are clickbait machines
Even though I am a PC main guy I don't see myself getting it because Valve doesn't have a great track record when it comes to their Hardware division.
@SilentHunter382
They don't?
Index VR seems to be pretty damn good from all I hear.
Steam Link as well, there just wasn't too much interest in the concept.
The Steam Controller has also much more of a conceptual problem and not so much bad quality.
I don't really remember any other pieces of hardware they themselves released.
@DoubleDate hmmm I think you are either underestimating the catalogue that Steam has or you are uninformed.
@Sculptor yes. It works like a PC. You can either 8install Windows on it if you wanted to.
@Kirgo Some things may have been good but support was not always the best. Here is an image that may show some of the issues valve had with their hardware but it is also a meme at the same time. Note they show the Vive for the VR instead of the Index by mistake.
https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/a279PW9_460s.jpg
This is why I am very skeptical about getting the deck. Not saying it won't be good but I will wait a while and see what others have to see about the system and see if there are going to be any issues with it.
A little bit of competition is always good. There is enough of the gaming community to share between the Switch and the Steam Deck. I think both have their strengths and both have their weaknesses.
Ofcourse I'm getting the Steam Deck as well, so I'll have the best of both worlds.
@RadioHedgeFund 😆 I prefer scenario two with the Steam Deck. I like to be left alone when am on the train.
@MarioBrickLayer I feel like it will be successful, but not the kind of numbers that Nintendo can pull off.
Also the steam deck looks like off brand Xbox controllers were split and glued to a switch body. Yuck yuck.
@StuTwo you hit the nail on the head. What happens when the Chinese clones start?
I do wonder if Valve will finally release Half-Life 3... nah
Got the 512 steam deck pre ordered, but to anyone thinking this is going to threaten the switch is living inside an internet echo chamber. People like to talk a big game about how open the platform is and all the amazing emulation that this thing can do... which it probably CAN, but do people really think the average person knows how to do this?
Look, I understand that for PC players installing a new OS or going online to download an emulator and some ROMs is no big deal, but for the vast majority of gamers who are not interested in PC gaming none of that is a reality. What your average consumer is going to experience with the steam deck is the promise of running AAA games only to discover that not all work well unless you fiddle with settings or realizing that some games play best with mouse and keyboard or require mapping out a controller.
The steam deck is great for PC players that want to play a handheld which I imagine is a decent number but there's also a lot of steam users that would never be caught dead playing anything other than a top of the line desktop. This will sell millions and will most definitely be successful but the switch isn't going anywhere.
Personally, I think the Steam Deck will be dead on arrival. The PC Master Race folks woth one foot in the console door may get it and then it will disappear from memory.
How many more steam deck articles before the site can get to it's quota of clicks, from disgruntled Switch Pro believers.
What people fail to see is not all Switch owners are in it for the first-party games. Most are I know, but at least a few (myself included) just want a portable option for gaming. Until now we basically only had Nintendo to fill that void. So this is a welcome change given how "vintage" the Switch's hardware is.
This looks promising, but I’ll wait for next December to see if it’s actually good. Balan Wonderworld and the Ninja Gaiden master collection have both shown me that not everything will live up to the hype that surrounds it.
@invictus4000,
Of course, it will be niche at best, total failure at worst, but according to the Internet minorities it will slay the Switch.
In reality it will be perfect example of why Nintendo did not bring out a Switch Pro.
A lot of hate and negativity for the Steam deck, when I think that Nintendo has been playing it extremely safe for several years now, and they perform much better when they feel like they are being threatened by someone.
The Steam deck will do just fine if it is marketed correctly and given the proper support, and an enticing alternative for someone like me who is sick and tired of Nintendo always giving you the food scraps from the table with their Switch downgraded ports and doesn't want to spend thousands on building an ultimate super gaming master race PC.
Like several have said before me, it is a TIME WILL TELL situation.
@Wordbonder My thoughts exactly. It is really nice having Nintendo's exclusives to play on the Switch, but sometimes you crave to play sth else by entirely different developers.
The problem with the Switch is that it is basically a slightly more powerful Wii U, that is why it has that "vintage feel" when it comes to hardware and software.
I like the one that says they both win.
I'm definitely interested in the Steam Deck and if I can manage to get one, it will complement the Switch quite well. I'm slightly concerned that stock as orders filled out quick and I've heard some folks won't get theirs till September 2022.
@Danrenfroe2016 well - from Valves perspective what will happen is that millions (far more than will actually buy the Steam Deck itself) will buy them and begin shopping on Steam.
It actually works out better for Valve if they can demonstrate a Steam OS handheld market exists for OEMs since they don’t need to worry about actually selling the hardware (on which they are probably making next to no profit - possibly even losing money by some measures), supply chains, consumer support etc. but they get the revenue stream.
Hence why it’s worth their while making this a flagship sold to make a point more so than to be a profit driver in and of itself.
Most of the OEM handhelds that will follow will be weaker or hobbled in some way (OEMs operate on extremely tight margins because they don’t get a cut of profits from the online stores where the real money is made).
I’d also expect that a small handful of clones will come out in the next few years that aim even higher at a premium price. It’s all down to how much Valve can demonstrate Steam OS fits that niche better than Android (which it clearly does IMO).
the steam deck is only available in a couple of countries. for mass producing nintendo wins
I find it amusing a “console” that’s not even out yet somehow has a toxic fanbase already.
Lol fanboys be like "zelda not on steam desk"
Valve: hold my bear, we have emulators 🤣🤣🤣
@Koxen
Its not released yet.
@RadioHedgeFund I think that depends on if the person in the first scenario is an attractive trendy member of the opposite gender and leads to a creepy but enduring relationship like in the Switch ads, or if the person in the first scenario looks like what you'd normally see at a Pokemon tournament....
I will wait until 2022. Maybe the Switch Pro will be released. If not I move forward to steam deck.
@miladyliza LOL, I've been thinking the same. Then again, it's really just the old PC Master Race group given a new reason to wage war on console plebs, mixed with console plebs touting the superiority of their new hardware they don't actually understand based on numbers being big.
@tntswitchfan68 wow that is a rather uninformed opinion you have there. Steam doesnt have games ?!?
Jesus Christ, Damien, you're obsessed with this damn thing!
I have both a Switch (year 2017) and a new, powerful gaming PC with a fat Steam library from 2007.
I love the Switch, but that Steam Deck seems to me as a great new possibility to play many (SO many!) indie games on the move. Games that I already possess (sort of... digital).
the cross-players PC/Switch are heavily interested in that new machine. That's a niche, but a BIG one.
However, for the families or the Nintendo enthusiasts, the Steam Deck isn't interesting enough. The Switch exclusives games are too good, you can't live without them.
@Dringo couldn't have said it better myself. They both are awesome and unique. I feel their differences increase each other's value as well.
If the deck were cheaper and had removable controllers Id be more interested. If my switch had as many computer functions as the steam deck will have Id like it more too.
You win some you lose some, but both are great adventures into somewhat affordable multiple purpose/function tech.
@jamesRainbowBoy well, the site could be renamed Valve Life, if you prefer?
The more competition the better though I don't think Steam Deck will affect Nintendo's strategy in any way.
@Magician. My hope is a real shared digital library across multiple switches without online connection. A real virtual console option for n64, Gamecube, and wii without premium or subscription prices. A real budget switch via well ventilated but low energy consumption non pro tv only option.
as much as i'd love the yakuza series portably i just brought the entire series on playstation and grabbed a switch oled since i play in handheld 90% of the time so it's gonna be a pass for me tbh
Steam Deck is only going to be used for the similar games they're already known for. Indies basically die there under the Flood of garbage.
@RadioHedgeFund touche..
The base model seems pretty useless out of the box, as storage will be an issue from the beginning. PC games are massive compared to the Switch. Even a 1tb micro SD card would fill up pretty quickly with high resolution assets that won't be utilized by the small 720p screen. The UI is also going to be a nightmare to read. It's obvious the base model was only created to make the Deck look more affordable. The Switch will be fine. The Deck seems like it will be a real headache to carry anything more than a few games at a time.
@SilentHunter382
I disagree with a lot in that picture, actually.
1. I have a Steam controller here and I do not see much of an issues, honestly. I prefer other controllers, but there aren't any technical issues as far as I can tell. I mean, the controller works like an Xbox Controller if nothing else and can be very easily configured for each game if necessary.
2. Steam Link may be too poorly advertised, still not really an issue. Just didn't sell as much as might have been able to. Also, the Steam Controller was also sold for pretty much nothing at the end. No idea why that isn't mentioned.
3. Steam Machines were a franchise. I specifically talked about systems released by Valve themselves. Steam Machines were supposed to be released by Alienware and the likes, just using Steam OS and the Steam Controller.
Didn't work out, true.
4. I guess the "glorified tech demo" is supposed to be Half Life Alyx? The game that is one of the highest rated games on Steam total with 98% positive rating, praised by basically anyone who played it. Calling that "glorified tech demo" makes no sense to me.
There are quite a few other VR supporting games as well, but not too many. VR still has a hard time catching on because of cost, that is true for all VR headsets on the market though. Still maybe the best VR headset on the market and to be honest I would personally love to have that thing.
Also sells quite well from all I have heard, considering the very high price.
All in all I would say Valve hardware works pretty well, but they often try very new concepts that don't always catch on.
If I wanted to buy the Steam Deck (not that much into handheld gaming myself), I wouldn't have any problems buying it. Whether it sells well isn't even relevant for that decision imo.
All of the Steam hardware had pretty high quality and did it's Job, as far as I could tell.
Of course I would still wait for reviews, simply because it is a new kind of product for Valve, so I would still be too cautios for pre ordering.
This is good. Competition is good. It will wake Nintendo up guys. Everyone should hope for the steam deck's success.
Whether you prefer SteamDeck or Switch, I think we can all agree that memes are lame
Thing is, people seem to forget we know what we are getting when we buy Nintendo products, sure they may be underpowered, but that doesn't stop Nintendo's games from being games. I play games to get away from real life and simply because it's fun. Competition is good but I hardly think this will even put a dent into Switch sales.
And yes, I do own a pc and owned a ps4.While they do deserve criticism as does anyone, Nintendo will always be my go to company for gaming.
@BloodNinja Switch games will finally be playable without frame drops and slowdown. Nintendo really should just go third party and focus on software.
@Savino Steam Deck will probably have all the Metroids. Even the ones that Nintendo refuses to release on Switch.
It's a great idea and good to have more handheld options in the market. Personally I think it looks too bulky. A hardware revision after a year or 2 could really slim it down and make it more appealing to me.
As it is my backlog is big enough so I'll pass on this anyways.
@Ambassador_Kong Yeah, or release something beefier!
@blockfight Yeah, it's really big and heavy as well. Especially compared to the Switch. It's not really portable. Which are my main downsides with the Steam Deck.
@Perryg92 it resembles the Wii U game pad far more. Look at the stick and button positioning.
Apples and Bananas. If you can get the Steam Deck to play the latest Mario,Metroid, or Zelda, give me a call.
A console is a social contract that you will get around five years of good software without a required hardware upgrade and NO fiddling with arcane settings to make a game playable. I give the Steam Deck two years to obsolescence with current titles.
@Arkay I'm pretty sure the Steam Deck is going to affect future Switch sales. I mean, Nintendo are at 85 million consoles right now, so Switch won't fail exactly, but the oled model isn't going to sell as well as it would have, plus if sales taper off, Nintendo will launch a successor sooner. Sadly, I think Switch 2 would still be weaker than the Steam Deck. Nvidia can probably make a chip to rival the Arm one inside Valve's machine, but would NIntendo pay for it? I don't think so. Not unless they start chasing power in a way that they have sworn off doing. Switch has 4gb DDR4 ram, Steam Deck has 16gb DDR5, and that's quad channel too.
The multiplatform reviews I'm used to reading for Switch usually say something about Switch being a sacrifice in fidelity, but often mention that it's a worthy trade-off for portability. By next year, those reviews will likely end with a comparison that includes Steam Deck. That's not going to be a good look for Nintendo. If they had listened to the fanbase and boosted the power of the Switch, the conversation would be very different right now.
@Muddy_4_Ever Steam Deck has one set of specs to target, which wouldn't necessitate doing anything more than creating an optimum settings profile. I think Valve can manage that lol, especially considering how diverse pc hardware usually is.
You obviously don't know much about hardware if you think a machine with 16gb DDR5 quad channel ram and RDNA 2 is going to be obsolete in two years. Switch can barely run the games that are optimised for it now.
This will be the death of my Switch. I primarily use my Switch as a portable indie machine. I already have a much larger Steam library. To top it off, I am also a budget gamer. Nintendo sales don't hold a candle to Steam sales. Anyone looking to buy a used Nintendo Switch?
@Anti-Matter lol, Nintendo are the only company you can guarantee will not honor digital sales from generation to generation so hardly a plus point.
@liveswired
I don't play digital (and digital only) games.
My games are legit physical in discs and cartridges.
@WhiteUmbrella @Muddy_4_Ever Switch 2 won't even be in the same league as Steam Deck. Nintendo are all about maximum profit and cutting corners on hardware and online infrastructure.
@Anti-Matter your games are sadly locked on a platform due to kick the bucket within 2 years, hopefully Nintendo will offer back compat on Switch 2 .
@liveswired
"Your games are sadly locked on a platform due to kick the bucket within 2 years."
Do I really care with this ?
I'm not even looking for AAA games.
Here’s to hoping that between the Steam Deck and the Switch, Sony and Microsoft see the value in releasing a hybrid. Nintendo needs competition.
I feel like fans of the SteamBrick are a very loud minority.
@RadioHedgeFund honestly that’s a great point. If I saw someone with a Steam Deck I would probably think it was some weird Chinese knockoff switch. Like the kind you get on Aliexpress
@HeadPirate you could own the only steam deck in the world and be fine. It doesn't have a unique store, and is an open platform (pc). This is hardware you buy because you want it, not because you're forced to (switch).
DOOOOOOOOOMED!
@WhiteUmbrella Several years ago, I built a costly rig anticipating years of viable use for max settings on new titles on Steam. And within two, I already had to make sacrifices for current releases. Within four, I was forced to consider upgrades. Perhaps the PC ecosystem has changed, but the tendency of new titles to quickly eclipse hardware capabilities is not a new phenomenon. Maybe Valve has a plan to ensure this won't be an issue with this device. If so, hats off to them. But I will want to see that viability in action before committing.
@dew12333 heh heh, nice. 👍
There is such a misconception that PC gaming is cheap once you invest in a PC and that is probably because Steam Sales used to be frequent and very good back in the early 2010s... but unless you're waiting for Steam Winter/Summer sales that is not really the case anymore. So if you're starting from scratch you're kinda not saving a whole lot compared to consoles with the Steam Deck and a lot of the quote "cheap games" are older titles that will require a lot of work to get working on your shiny new Steam Deck. It is just a lot of hassle I think memes like these ignore as when you buy a game on Switch it just works (I know there are a few exceptions and they tend to be very bad games, to begin with so don't bother pointing them out). This is not the case with Steam Deck where you will need to configure a lot of games for the most optimum experience and people will be disappointed when you can't just set everything to high/ultra out of the box and have a playable experience. Tinkering with your games is something budget PC gamers have been doing for years as that is almost always your first 30 minutes to an hour of any gaming experience on a rig with an older GPU.
I stand by this being a niche product as the average consumer just likes the plug-and-play of consoles. This is why Playstation and Xbox have been still around despite getting more expensive and in Xbox's case, all their good exclusives also being on PC. We will see I guess.
@Muddy_4_Ever Same issue my friend. Before I got married it was super easy to justify just upgrading, but now with trying to save up for a downpayment and children I have to justify spending $800 on a new GPU when mine is only a few years old... kinda stinks. Not sure how Valve is going to get around this as releasing a new Steam Deck every couple years will burn people hard and those screaming for "Switch PRO" will be reminded why most gamers hate mid-cycle console upgrades. The PS4 Pro and Xbox One X did not sell all that well compared to the base model for a reason and they did not have any exclusive games that justify upgrading. Gamers like consoles because it removes the hassle of PC gaming as once you buy a game it just works without having to tweak around for 30 minutes to an hour and not have to worry about buying new hardware every couple of years.
How about both comsoles can be successful. I really dont understand people that fanboy over piece of plastic as if they have finacial investment.
Anyone want to place bets on how long the Steamdeck will actually last? I'm thinking 10 months to a year before no one gives a crap about it anymore.
@Wexter PS4 Pro and Xbox One X didn't sell well? Well enough, I'd say. Go and try to find one brand new outside of eBay and tell me how that goes.
@Anti-Matter dinosaur or not. You have the game when you own a physical copy. Can't beat that.
In 8 months here's a meme....
"Valve drops a Steamer."
@illmatic20xx you kidding? To most people owning one of these ridiculously priced systems, including "Xbox" and "PS whatever" is a huge investment. 2 systems at a high price in the handheld market mat not be able to coexist. I think Valve is asking way to much money.
@liveswired I thought they were about triple A franchise's/ titles...that the Cleveland Steamer will never have.
@Wordbonder I'm happy with the Switch hardware. I don't think graphics chips are everything. I can't be alone on that either.
@victordamazio better library than switch? I think not
@ATaco your forgetting how nintendo handled the psp & vita; they focused more on having games made rather than high end specs.
besides, this almost always happens. nintendo makes something and someone else makes an enhanced copy like the wii remotes and the playstation motion controller. that being said, i'm sure nintendo's lawyers are eying this thing up and down for a reason to send steam a C&D
@WhiteUmbrella That's because A)the Xbox One X is no longer being made so what is there, is there and they are not making anymore. B)The PS4 Pro makes up 1/5 PS4s sold which means people still picked the cheaper and less capable version. So if there are a 100million PS4s sold about 15-20million of them are PS4Pros which is fine... but not excellent (especially if you consider the GameCube a failure compared to PS2 as that is basically the sales difference). C) We have a general console shortage right now because we have a processor shortage. So Sony and Microsoft will want to prioritize making more of their PS5s and XSXs vs a mid-cycle upgrade box which makes up a fraction of their total sales.
So yes mid-cycle upgrades are not historically a good idea. You might get a few extra sales or double-dips, but they do not tend to take over the scene as people predicted the XboneX and PS4Pro would do... which they didn't.
@Wexter The point still stands, if a manufacturer can make a product and sell every unit, how was it a bad idea? Please explain to me how Xbox One X and PS4 Pro harmed Microsoft and Sony.
Regarding lower sales figures, of course these models sold a lot less. How many Switch oled models do you expect will sell, surely a minority compared to the original model, this is just logical.
Revisions of models can reignite interest in any given platform, may encourage those that have held out to finally jump on board, also help with marketting since sites like the very one you are on will write about a new model of Switch if Nintendo make it. Of course, the Steam Deck is also in the conversation too now, and that doesn't look so good for Nintendo. They should have raised the power of their system to avoid any unfavourable comparisons then. From this perspective, an increase in power might have been a positive.
@WhiteUmbrella huge difference. A 3DSXL attracts a customer who may have never been interested in a 3DS or was interested but has larger hands or eye problems that a smaller screen is not appealing to. A more powerful console is nice but, based on early assessments of those mid-cycle systems they were expected to completely take over and sales data shows that only enthusiasts were interested. That and a lot of PS4 and Xbone users were annoyed because they just bought an older skew and now are screwed out of nicer QOL improvements and a more enthusiast experience. This does not harm current sales but can harm future sales of later systems. How many people in early Switch articles be saying they will wait for an XL version? A fair number. How many people are waiting on the Xbox Series X... X version... or a PS5PRO? I would also say a fair number as they were screwed last time so they are waiting out the initial launch. The thing is just because you can does not mean you should.
Steam Deck people are debating the appeal of it outside of the dedicated PC space or enthusiast market. And so we cannot count that into immediate interest because we are comparing it to a 4 1/2-year-old system in its twilight years so of course, it will look better. The Xbox 360 compared to a PS2 is miles better, but compared to the PS3 it is less so. Remember the New 3DS? remember how that went down consumers' gullets? Like a led balloon as it divided the userbase and annoyed people who wanted to play Xenoblade 3D. What people wanted the Switch PRO to be was basically a more powerful console that can compete with a PS5 and XSX which is a bad idea as that is entering New 3DS territory... We know a Switch 2 is happening at this point and we will probably hear about it within a year. How do you think people would have reacted if a Switch PRO was announced then a Switch 2 was announced a year or two later? Very... very badly. Nintendo knows what they are doing as they don't tend to release major revisions to their handhelds unless they are borderline antiques like the Gameboy to Gameboy Color or they are QOL changes like the GBA to GBA SP where it does not change the guts of the hardware except to improve the general experience. The Switch OLED is more of a GBA SP which historically has been the more popular form of revision to re-ignite interest.
@Wexter "How many people are waiting on the Xbox Series X... X version... or a PS5PRO?"
I'm waiting for the slim versions. Because the 360s, the PS3 slim, the Xbox One S, and the PS4 slim are all better systems, albeit, not more powerful.
By this logic, the slim revisions are also harmful to initial launch hardware, because people should be waiting for the better versions that "obviously" will come out.
The X, Pro and Deck aren't meant to be replacements. They are techophile luxury items. A Switch Pro would have filled the same function.
Which brings me to the Xbox Series, the reason you struggled with the 'Xbox Series X..X' is because MS have already released their X and S versions. There will not be an 'XX' and 'SS'. There will be a Series 2 X and Series 2 S. That functions as a continuation, rather than an upgrade or new start. And people will pick and choose when to upgrade their old hardware. It will be like the console version of mobile phones or GPUs.
@Joe-b It is true, the Steam Deck is a PC, it has thousands of games released since the 1980s, many of them available on modern download stores, and even if you count just the games available on Steam, it's still a big library since Steam exists since 2003 and the Switch exists since 2017.
Most of the best Switch games are available on PC officially, not counting emulators, unless it's the games made by Nintendo like Mario and Zelda.
I would say that Steam Deck has actually a better game library than all of Nintendo's handhelds combined, especially since thanks to modern rereleases and collections, many of the best Game Boy and DS games are available on PC as well, officially.
Steam is cool and all but that handheld is a joke compared to my awesome PC, and now that I have a super ultra wide monitor, there's no way I'd enjoy that little 1280 x 800 compared to the 5120x1440 I'm used to. The best part about Steam is how well it works with my computer desk, all the games are optimised for a mouse and keyboard, ultra graphics settings, the height of the desk is perfect for laying my hands down in front of the mouse and keyboard, the screen is at or slightly above eye-level so I'm not looking down all of the time, my hands have no fatigue because I don't have to hold anything while I play, unless it's a controller and the Xbox controller works great (Steam controller is really hit or miss), when games allow it, though a lot of them don't. I have an awesome monitor now, but even before when I just had a 1920x1080 monitor it was fine too but nobody is out there making games specifically for 1280x800 resolutions so the text size is going to be questionable at best.
Maybe this is cool for people who don't already have a PC but it just looks like a big hassle to me. Then of course you've got the battery life, so all the super fancy games that people complain about not coming to Switch, they won't last long on the system without needing to plug it in. A lot of easy to run indie games will probably work on it fine if the text is legible and the controls are okay, but the cheapest model is 2 times more expensive than a Switch Lite. So I don't think it's as big a threat to Nintendo as a lot of these comments seem to imply.
@Wexter Your claim about projections being made that updated models of consoles would replace previously released models sounds a little dubious. If they're released close to market saturation, I don't know who would be thinking that the entire customer base would ditch their original model. Do you have a good citation for this claim, because I'd really like to read it.
The idea that updated models can turn people off on the next generation of hardware, where's the evidence for that? You can perhaps claim that potential customers have held off on the Switch because of New 3DSxl, but the last sales figure for Switch I read was around the 85 million market, so how many customers could it possibly be? Given that the console has been marketed as a home console by nintendo, wouldn't some people have been thinking of Wii U?
Laying all that aside, I'd just like to take a moment to direct your attention to the Sony PlayStation. A phenomenally successful platform that has produced an updated model for every piece of hardware they have ever made. They seem to be doing quite well, overall, wouldn't you say?
Random: 'Switch Vs Steam Deck' Memes Are A Thing Now, Apparently
What a title, it's like Damien doesn't know that society can make memes out of anything, even a darn table.
There's reasonable indication that Nintendo could easily announce (and launch) another iteration of the Switch next year even before the next batch of people get their top range Steam Deck (which is only available in Q1 2023 now)
@Crono1973 Why would they release more powerful hardware? The people that buy the Switch, get it because of the concept and games. And the price is right. The Steam Deck is far from offering what the Switch does. I'll laugh when people that buy the $400 version hit the wall of space, when they buy The Witcher III and can't install because there's no space in that thing hahahah.
@Edu23XWiiU
Why would they release more powerful hardware? The people that buy the Switch, get it because of the concept and games.
...because people have been asking for more powerful hardware and because the Switch is having problems running newer games like that Hyrule Warriors game.
And the price is right.
The price is right for the Switch? How can you say that after the reveal of the Steam Deck for only $50 more?
I'll laugh when people that buy the $400 version hit the wall of space, when they buy The Witcher III and can't install because there's no space in that thing hahahah.
What do people do when they run out of space on the Switch? If only the Steam Deck supported Micro SD cards.
Oh wait....it does, just like the Switch.
It blows my mind to see anyone defending Nintendo in regards to storage space. They are currently selling a system for $300 with 32 GB of storage.
Call me when one of them gets Persona 5 Royal
@Nintendo_Thumb but the cheapest model is 2 times more expensive than a Switch Lite.
The Switch Lite doesn't connect to a TV or a monitor, it is 100% a handheld and nothing more. The Steam Deck should be compared to the Switch or the Switch OLED.
@jsty3105 next year even before the next batch of people get their top range Steam Deck (which is only available in Q1 2023 now)
It's funny how so many people here claim the Steam Deck is not going to be very popular while it is getting so many reservations. People are obviously interested in a powerful hybrid and hopefully the big three will take notice.
@jsty3105 And that's what I kinda hope for. No need to buy a Steam Deck if Nintendo gives us a Pro that can play Xbox 360 games through emulation (or something .
@Crono1973 It's comparable to the Switch Lite because the dock is sold seperately and there is no price comfirmation for it, so until then it's just a portable console only, no different than a lite. But then even when you add the cost of the dock (?), assuming the dock isn't wireless, you have to add the cost of another controller since you're not going to want to use the controller that's plugged into the HDMI cord. Then if you want to play 2 players on the TV, that's another controller you have to buy. That stuff adds up when you're comparing it to the regular Switch which comes with 2 controllers and a TV dock out of the box, so it's a lot easier to compare it to the Lite, which, like the Steam Deck comes with none of those either.
@Nintendo_Thumb It's comparable to the Switch Lite because the dock is sold seperately and there is no price comfirmation for it, so until then it's just a portable console only, no different than a lite.
It doesn't need a dock, just a USB-C to Display Port/HDMI cord. The Switch Lite cannot be hooked up to a tv/monitor in any circumstance. Steam Deck is a hybrid, Switch Lite is not.
you have to add the cost of another controller since you're not going to want to use the controller
It will take any Bluetooth controller, probably even the Switch Pro controller that you bought extra for the Switch to play on the TV. So how many controllers from other consoles do you have laying around? PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Wii U Pro, Switch Pro, etc....?
If you have Steam games that work well with a controller, chances are you already have a Bluetooth controller that you are using on PC. Personally, I use a 360 controller on PC but I could use an Xbox One controller, PS4 controller, Wii U controller or a Switch controller.
It's super funny when people are like 'but the Joycons turned sideways are just as good as two actual controllers'.
Dude they are memes about this and they are funny 😂😂😂😂
You made this post to rile up Nintendo fanboys, so props at least for that working. New unironic reasons people convince themselves the Switch is better now include "I'm more likely to pick up girls with it". You can't make this stuff up.
Enjoy what you want, buy which you prefer, but don't try and justify your unquestioning devotion to a certain company when a competitor releases something that might be better, it's just sad.
@Crono1973 "It doesn't need a dock, just a USB-C to Display Port/HDMI cord."
I've seen no mention of that working, just as it doesn't work on the Switch's USB-C without the dock. It looks like it works with 3rd party docks, but you need more than just a "USB-C to Display Port/HDMI cord". According to https://screenrant.com/steam-deck-usb-c-docks-best-pc-valve/ they go from $45 to $250 and Valve's not saying what they'll charge if you want an official one.
"It will take any Bluetooth controller, probably even the Switch Pro controller that you bought extra for the Switch to play on the TV."
The Pro controller is not necessary to play on the TV, as the 2 Joy Con controllers it comes with come apart from the system while it is charging and displaying to the TV.
"So how many controllers from other consoles do you have laying around? PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Wii U Pro, Switch Pro, etc....?"
It's completely irrelevant, for every gaming geek, there's always noobs just getting into the hobby. You can't just act like every person on the planet has controllers already.
"If you have Steam games that work well with a controller, chances are you already have a Bluetooth controller that you are using on PC."
And chances are if you have "a Bluetooth controller you are using on PC", that you already have a more than capable PC that puts this to shame.
"Personally, I use a 360 controller on PC but I could use an Xbox One controller, PS4 controller, Wii U controller or a Switch controller."
Just like on the Switch, only it's optional since it comes with 2 controllers out of the box.
"It's super funny when people are like 'but the Joycons turned sideways are just as good as two actual controllers'."
Yes, it's funny, it's also something that nobody said. 2 joycon controllers are "actual controllers" believe it or not, but nobody is comparing them to good pro controllers, they're being compared to this Steam thing which comes with no extra controllers at all to use while playing on the TV, and clearly has only 1 controller there for portable play. Not 2 odd controllers to pass off to a friend for a quick match, it's literally just 1. And if something happens to that 1 controller, you can't swap it out like you could a regular Switch, instead like the Switch Lite, it's stuck to the console so you're just sol. People treat their Switches like crap throwing them on the couch, dropping them, toss it in a pocket without a case, etc. It's no big deal when you can just swap out the controllers, but people are going to have to be a lot more careful around this thing.
Deck for all it's worth got Decked below the belt.
1. No options for Physical games
2. Require Steam account to activate games
3. Price
4. Software Game Developer support
5. Switch isn't successful just because - there's more to it then just that- User Base Acceptance of all Age
@Nintendo_Thumb I've seen no mention of that working, just as it doesn't work on the Switch's USB-C without the dock. It looks like it works with 3rd party docks, but you need more than just a "USB-C to Display Port/HDMI cord". According to https://screenrant.com/steam-deck-usb-c-docks-best-pc-valve/ they go from $45 to $250 and Valve's not saying what they'll charge if you want an official one.
I have read that it only needs a cord. I guess we will have to wait and see.
The Pro controller is not necessary to play on the TV, as the 2 Joy Con controllers it comes with come apart from the system while it is charging and displaying to the TV.
Right but most Switch owners prefer the Pro Controller to the Joycons for TV play. I know I only use the Joycons when I have to.
It's completely irrelevant, for every gaming geek, there's always noobs just getting into the hobby. You can't just act like every person on the planet has controllers already.
Do you?
Yes, it's funny, it's also something that nobody said. 2 joycon controllers are "actual controllers" believe it or not, but nobody is comparing them to good pro controllers, they're being compared to this Steam thing which comes with no extra controllers at all to use while playing on the TV, and clearly has only 1 controller there for portable play.
.but you are saying 'but the Switch comes with 2 controllers' as if the Joycons are equivalent to two normal controllers. The Joycons are what I think of as a bad compromise. They were designed to compliment 2 player tabletop play but they are too small to be used all the time like a normal controller. They don't even have a D-Pad as part of their compromised design.
Let's just agree that 2 Joycons doesn't equal 2 Normal Controllers. Even using both Joycons as 1 controller is still inferior (IMO) to just a normal controller.
So technically you are correct, the Switch comes with two controllers out of the box but they aren't great controllers.
I remember when people were all like 'paying full price for old or multiplatform games that are ported to the Switch is worth it because I can play them on the go'.
With the Steam Deck that 'playing on the go' thing seems to be non important. Crazy. People are saying things like 'well it won't be as powerful as your desktop PC so you won't want to play games on the Steam Deck'. Couldn't that have been said about playing multiplat games on more powerful consoles instead of the Switch?
@WhiteUmbrella You are clearly missing the point. The PS4Pro and Xbox One X were originally supposed to replace the original consoles in value and desire. You can find these claims in old Digital Foundry videos or old IGN articles. It is not a projection it is clear fact that was the general idea within the media at the time.
The thing is there is a huge difference between a slim model, a revision and what basically is a Pro model. I know a lot of people on a personal level who were long-time Sony fanboys who won't be buying a PS5 because they feel Sony does not respect their purchases and that was direct because of the PS4Pro. A hardware revision is to refresh a model make it more appealing to those on the fence. A-Pro model is to incentivize people who already own a base unit to upgrade and attract more enthusiast customers to your brand rather than the other.
Now let's say for the sake of argument that there was a Switch Pro. Let's say it had the exact same specs as the Steam Deck and was being released at $400 USD. What games would really be able to make use of that power? Will existing games require a patch? Who will make these patches. Remember Microsoft personally did the patchwork for backwards compatibility and Xbox One X upgrade patches. Will Nintendo do these patches? Will new games only be released on the PRO model or will all games require to be released on both skews? From a consumer perspective who bought a Switch in the past year to enjoy Animal Crossing how will you feel when you see that most games coming out now are only for PRO, but they are both Switchs without a clear announcement of a successor? Do you honestly believe that be good for the longterm health of the Switch brand?
These are business questions you need to ask with a Switch PRO. These are questions that a lot of people ignored and just want a Switch PRO because they feel insecure that the PS5 and XSX are out and they won't get 3rd Parties when we know that won't happen. The Switch will still get games and it has from the begging won't get all AAA games. And a Switch successor will be released in probably a year alongside BotW2 or another must-have title. So Nintendo having a kneejerk reaction and splitting their userbase when they don't have to is a to quote Tony Stack "that's a bad plan." Maybe the Steam Deck has accelerated the Switch 2's release, or maybe the Steam Deck will fail to take a sizable market share like every other handheld competition for Nintendo ever (except maybe the PSP which is the only handheld not to be squashed like a bug by the Big-N... that was Sony that self-sabotaged themselves on that one).
The media aren't the ones who make the decisions regarding the future of a platform. The intent for revisions to entirely replace the existing user base clearly isn't there within the company that makes the hardware, nor is it a realistic sales goal, especially if done at a point in the life cycle of a device where the device is clearly approaching market saturation.
"Long-term Sony fanboys that won't be purchasing a PS5 because of the PS4 pro". Honestly that just sounds made-up because you're trying to prove a point, and I doubt you know enough fanboys for it to be statistically relevant.
Hardware makers have shifted their designs numerous times as and when they wished. Typically, the majority of revisions are marketed as, and intended to be, upgraded hardware, to a greater or lesser degree. Notable exceptions are the PlayStation 3 having both backwards compatibilty with PS2 removed shortly after launch, and the ability to partition the drive and install Linux, which itself was the subject of a lawsuit in North America. The Wii mini is a particularly egregious example.
When one looks at the issue, it becomes clear that, despite any concerns you and others may have about revisions, Sony, Microsoft and nIntendo are in favour of them and will continue to be so. I imagine the data that they have supports releasing revisions as part of their business model, there's plenty of sales data by this point.
By the time a revision is released, the original hardware has been available on the market for years. Anyone who has already purchased the previous sku will likely also have invested in software and therefore be plenty invested in the platform. They already have that customers money, and care more about attracting more new customers to the system with a refresh, one that clearly a proportion of existing users will upgrade to.
Despite your desire to claim a hard dividing line between the intent of a "refresh" and an "upgrade" the reality is that line is blurred. The concern over present customers feeling disgruntled by the next generation and not buying the hardware on the basis of event during the previous generation, this doubtless does happen, but it's clearly not treated as of prime importance, and seemingly least of all Nintendo.
Do you remember Reggie Fils-Aimee's statement that customers should treat Wii U as an essential step to reaching the Switch? I'm paraphrasing here, but that's pretty much the gist. At the time I thought, well that's all well and good for the people that didn't pay for it, and I didn't like it, but from a business standpoint Nintendo doesn't care about the twelve million customers they had as much as the hundred million they want to reach. This is a company that has, with every generation, left digital purchases on the preceding platform so customers will have to buy them again. Shut down features of previous platforms so the successor doesn't look bad in comparison. This generation, the saturation of Wii U ports has been defended with "no-one bought the Wii U so to most people these are new games". It wasn't Nintendo saying that but doubtless it will have weight for you since that's the narrative that's been bouncing around on sites regarding all the Wii U games Switch has seen.
With an upgraded Switch, I wouldn't imagine it would have exclusive games.
@Crono1973 I played Hyrule Warriors, and hardly encountered any issue. The people that ask for those changes, are really a tiny minority, that actually doesn't know what the hell they want, and believe rumors that spread like venereal deceases. Get over it already.
@Flashlink99 I fully agree. What always pisses me off (about human nature in general) is our "tribalism" mindset. Always taking sides and hoping for the other guy to fail.
CAN'T BOTH SYSTEMS CO-EXIST?!! Why do consumers start defending one corporation over another corporation? It's bizarre beyond words.
@Duncanballs i have a very informed opinion. Steam does not have the quality of games that Nintendo does and A FACT NOT AN OPINON. Also, Steam Deck, can't play all Steam games due to slow storage. If you want to play Steam Games, play them on PC. And, Steam itself isn't that stable of a service. That is why Epic Game Store got so popular. Valve's other products don't work that well, there is no deck and the base model is a waste. I could get a Switch, SD memory card and games compared to Deck, were the first decent model, I could afford an PS5 or Series X before I could the Deck. Stop insulting people when you can't make a good argument. That is your fault, not mine.
@Anti-Matter Compared to what? Sony needs to do a better job with games. I am glad you are enjoying R&C.
@tntswitchfan68 I think you need to calm down if you are as easily offended as you appear to be. Hardly an insult but if taken that way I will apologise.
Shouting in a discussion by using capitals is not very mature in my opinion and does not show appropriate etiquette in a mature debate where all opinions are valid.
Nintendo having more quality games than Steam is an opinion and always will be. It cannot be a fact so please do not shout this at others. If you can back your shouting as fact as you have claimed, I will be more than happy to acknowledge that you are correct.
I would point out that I am a huge Nintendo fan and have owned more consoles and games by them than other any other consile/game developer and even with my history with Nintendo I would not claim a fact that I cannot back.
You are incorrect in saying that the steam deck can only play mobile games. Fact, the demonstration and those that were given access to the device confirmed your statement not to be true. Control and Portal 2 as some examples. I do not know the exact number of games on the Steam store but my observation is that it is not a low number.
Your reply to my comment suggests that I challenged your comments in terms of value with costs of a dock and added memory. This was not an opinion that I gave you and as someone who has pre ordered the deck I am fully aware of the costs I have signed up to and the cost will be more than a Switch. I am ok with this but have no issue with others who are not.
You say that Steam is not a stable service. Whilst neither fact or opinion, my experience of Steam must be contrary to yours. I have found Steam to be of very little issue in the 100+ games that I have purchased over the years. My experience has also been that by being a PC gamer, there is a degree of configuration settings that you have to do now and again. I take this as part and parcel of running PC games.
I hope you find this as a more robust argument to your post and please feel free to comment back.
Edit: Having read again your original comment (comment69 for others to read if they choose to) you have levied a lot of criticism against other companies and their products. I am afraid your argument is weak in my opinion as you have failed to back your opinions with any evidence to support your claims that they are fact. You have criticized my approach but I personally think you should reflect on your own behaviour. I am not calling you a fanboy as I am not wanting to offend but the traits that you have demonstrated are in line with what others have described a fanboy to be. Opinion, not fact.
@Crono1973
Unfortunatelly, that is wishful thinking. While there are modders in some games trying to up the performance, by far not every game receives so much love. Also, there is the problem of implementing such mods. Some work in conjunction with Steam, others need to be injected via different means. If you want these, you cannot use the stock OS of the Deck and will have to install Windows. And that opens up a whole other can of worms. There will be a small set of people who are willing to do this, but the majority doesn't want to fiddle around with, what they perceive to be, a console.
@Duncanballs false. The system runs on outdated memory speeds. It is very slow. It can run some games, but it can't others due to speed. The Deck has 2 hour battery life for more advanced games, and no dock. The OG Switch can do 3-4 hours on big games.
Also, Valve does have a reputation for poor quality control. They also give-up easily on their products. I also don't like that there is no physical option for the Deck.
If you want to buy it and like it, have at it. But, I will laugh at people who think this is a Switch killer. Not in it's wildest dreams.
@tntswitchfan68 Thank you for replying.
You are the only one in this conversation between the two of us making comparisons between the Switch and the Deck. I do not believe I have done the same but to only challenge what you claim to be fact.
I have not in anyway said this is a Switch killer. You appear to be making up statements to continue your own dialogue.
You seem to be spending a lot of time and effort in how much you dislike something and the opinion of others.
Perhaps your time and effort could be put to better use.
I dont think laughing at those who may be proven wrong is very mature or warranted.
@Duncanballs I did not mean you. The media is what I was referring to, not you. Sorry if I wasn't clear on that. I don't mind if people like the Steam Deck, I guess I am upset at how they treat people who like the Switch. I get mocked and harassed a lot just for liking the Switch. Well, they will be wrong about the Deck being a Switch killer. The Deck and Switch can co-exist. Whether they do is up to Valve. If they stick with it, they could do it.
@tntswitchfan68 like what you like my friend and ignore those that cannot deal with that.
Have a great day and keep rocking the Switch.
@tntswitchfan68 so the deck has 16gb of ddr5 memory vs the switchs 4gb of ddr4 memory.
This is the latest info on the decks memory,
The updated version
16 GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels)
This confirms that Steam Deck has higher memory bandwidth than any LPDDR4 or DDR4 devices on the market (around 70% higher than a dual channel DDR4 3200 MT/s system) and will probably not face any bandwidth bottleneck on the GPU part.
And it will run a lot more than mobile games. I've seen videos of people playing games the switch can only dream of. It's a generation leap over the switch. And they say it should be possible to put the gamepass app on when you've side loaded windows.
But at the end of the day it's not going to effect Nintendos bottom line at all. The switch will still sell millions as they are target different audiences. If they sell 10 million decks I reckon valve will be happy.
I just think it's another great addition to what we all love, gaming. The more options the better.
@Duncanballs You rock. I hope people enjoy the Steamdeck.
@Serialsid Yep, but Valve did say modern games would be capped at 30fps. I wonder if that will disappoint some people.
@tntswitchfan68 yeah I think it will disappoint some. The not so demanding games will probably hit 60fps but not the big AAA. The deck is a very niche product, aiming mainly at PC gamers, whether they will be happy with the loss in resolution and frame rate time will tell. But some will probably just be happy they can continue to play their games anywhere they like.
Once all the media stop hyping up the whole big comparison BS both machines will do their own things.
@Hero8-Bit I get what you're saying here about using physical materials to make physical cartridges and cases (e.g. using oil to make plastic), but I think the lesser known environmental cost of non-physical is the amount of energy used to power servers and harddrives that are storing information. I think Nintendolife (or perhaps Kotaku) may have even done an article on the environmental impact of the growing streaming game services. I'm curious about how much energy Valve uses for its services.
@Serialsid I know. Also, the expensive stuff you gotta buy just to make it work properly will be too much for a lot of people.
Tap here to load 218 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...