Since being announced a couple of weeks ago, Valve's portable PC has been the subject of much debate. With recent word that the Steam Deck would have an optional FPS limiter to conserve battery, it is a device that information is being drip fed for constantly, and is rapidly becoming one of the most anticipated device on a lot of people's radars, especially PC gamers. Now, the company's CEO, Gabe Newell, has confirmed some additional features to the device which will please fans of virtual reality.
In a recent interview with IGN, Newell stated that the Steam Deck would indeed be essentially just a mobile PC, capable of having other software installed on it, such as the Microsoft Store or Epic Games Store. Additionally, he dropped into the conversation that the Deck would also be compatible with the Oculus Quest VR headset. In the discussion, he said that he wanted the upcoming Valve device to not be some sort of "Trojan horse" that will have proprietary software that locks the user into using specific programs. He seems pleased that the Deck will be able to run numerous other software and hardware, including the Oculus.
However, it is worth mentioning that just because it's compatible, doesn't mean it will work flawlessly. Whether it will run games such as Half Life: Alyx properly remains to be seen, but it seems that Newell is happy for people to go ahead and play VR on the Steam Deck. As many are already aware, some big games like Fortnite and Apex Legends may not run on the Deck. This is not so much to do with the games being incompatible and more to do with said games having Anti-cheat software, which may not run on a Linux-based device like Steam Deck.
On top of that, there are growing concerns that the hardware may be physically uncomfortable to hold. This came about after one user 3D-printed the chassis of the Steam Deck to test out how it would feel in their hands. They soon discovered that the placements of the button may raise ergonomic issues.
Outside these concerns, Valve's new gaming machine is becoming one of the hottest game products of the year. Despite it being compared to the Nintendo Switch, it seems like it's trying to set itself apart from other portable devices by essentially being a fully-functional PC that users can hold in their hand. While it comes pre-loaded with SteamOS, a spokesperson for Valve said that it can be wiped clean and have a copy of Windows installed fresh if that's what someone wanted to do.
The Steam Deck is due for release this December.
