With the Steam Deck currently on a lot of the gaming world's lips, Valve CEO Gabe Newell has been quite forthright in discussing some of the finer points of the device. Recently, GabeN confirmed that the Deck would likely be compatible with the Oculus Quest, so gamers are welcome to try virtual reality gaming. He's also now admitted that he's been using one of Valve's own games to test each iteration of the upcoming hand-held PC.
In an interview with IGN, Newell has said that for each new version of the Steam Deck that's shown to him, he will test out the device by playing the 2013 multiplayer battle game Dota 2. He said he's been testing it to have a more "laser-focused" approach to usability. He was also asked about the device's trackpad, to which he agreed it was a big thing for him, particularly as he says that's down to him looking at things from a gamer's perspective, rather than a company president's viewpoint.
Speaking of games that run on the Steam Deck, Valve has insisted that it will be capable of running the latest generation of titles, adding that, from the company's perspective, there wasn't anything it couldn't handle. However, there are growing concerns among the community that some big titles such as Rainbow Six Siege and Fortnite may not run on the Deck. This is most likely due to these games using Anti-cheat software, which is not compatible with Linux systems, which the Deck's OS is based off.
Despite the fact that it's more of a portable PC than a hand-held console, people have been comparing it to the Switch. Valve even responded to the comparisons between the Steam Deck and Nintendo's console, saying that while there are visual similarities, Valve did not consciously intend to copy the design of the Switch, saying the company was going for Steam users as its target audience. Newell also said that the Deck is targeted towards players who are used to big controllers, as the Deck is bulkier than the Switch.
It's perhaps not at all surprising that Newell is testing the Deck with Dota 2 given that the game was developed and published by his company. With confirmation that the Steam Deck will fully support mods, it's clear that Valve's device is going for the PC market, with an OS that works in basically the same way as a home computer, with compatibility between other game stores, not just Steam.
The Steam Deck is due for release this December.
