Valve planning for ‘next gen’ Steam Decks that might have a streaming option

In an issue of Weekly Famitsu, Valve discussed the future of the Steam Deck device. There may be some changes to the Steam Deck in the next iteration of the console and Valve discussed some of the improvements it plans on making to it.

In a report by Video Games Chronicle, it says that in the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu, Valve was asked about the next iteration of Steam Deck devices. The next Steam Deck will have improvements made and Valve is looking at changes to the theme, size, and shape, and may also look into making it into a streaming machine.

“The Steam Deck is another PC in another form, but Steam has many other uses besides this handheld device, such as on TV or on the desktop, and we will continue to work to satisfy our customers as much as possible,” designer Greg Coomer said.

Improvements that solve common ailments will also be included with the next generation of Steam Decks, like the battery life, which is a common complaint with the current generation of devices. This issue is on the top of Valve’s mind when it comes to delivering new hardware in future iterations of the Steam Deck.

“We have already made improvements [to battery life] between the time of launch and now,” Steam Deck developer Pierre-Loup Griffais said. “For example, we’ve made it possible to play refresh rates at 40 Hz, and we’re working hard to give users more control over how long their battery lasts.”

There is currently no indication that Valve will put out a new generation of these devices anytime soon, but the promise of better battery life, more functionality, and better hardware might be enough for some gamers to put a pause on their dreams of a Steam Deck to wait for an improved version of it.