- Steam Deck shipments have collapsed by 82% after the recent 40%+ price hike.
- The portable only sells between 1.4k and 3k units weekly in mid-2026, compared to last year’s 11k to 18k weekly sales.
- The sales can only recover if competitors also increase their prices or if Valve reverses the price bump.
Steam Deck was once considered one of those ‘bang for your buck’ products. However, Valve’s ~45% price hike has flipped that narrative on its head, with Epic Games CEO also lashing out at the increase and calling Gabe Newell out for buying expensive yachts.
A new report now reveals that the price hike has done more damage to Valve than one might have anticipated. The handheld shipments have collapsed by up to 82% after Valve’s controversial decision.
Why it matters: Steam Deck sales are suffering a near collapse after Valve’s massive price hike, and there’s little chance of recovery now. The demand for the portable is no longer what it was at the new exorbitant $789-$949 price tags.
This estimation comes via Boiling Steam, which recently reported that the Steam Machine only sells up to 15k units a week. The method of calculating Steam Deck sales is also similar, achieved by tracking its decline in Steam’s Global Weekly Top Sellers chart.
The Steam Deck dropped from ranks #4-#5 in 2025 to #14, which corresponds to a revenue fall between ~$6 million and $10 million to ~$1.2 million and $2.5 million per week. These revenue bands were divided by the new average selling price of Steam Deck (~$835) compared to the old ~$540 baseline.
The calculations reveal that weekly unit sales plunged from a healthy 11k to 18k units in 2025 to just 1.4k to 3k units in mid-2026, which is an 82% collapse in shipments.
The Steam Deck was seen as a strong rival to other handhelds like the Nintendo Switch with the old pricing. But the new cost just doesn’t hold up against rivals like the ASUS ROG Ally X, which offers better specs at a similar price.
Valve can only recover if it lowers Steam Deck prices, launches the Steam Deck 2, or other competitors also similarly bump costs in the future.
Do you think Steam Deck sales can recover? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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