The Steam Deck has spent well over a year in Steam's list of best sellers since launch. While still a very popular PC gaming handheld, Valve's beloved gaming console is dropping out of Steam's Top 10.
In most territories like the United Kingdom, United States and Canada, the Deck still rates among the top ten or even top three as of the time of writing. Still, the global market has shifted, and for the first time since the Deck launched in February 2022, it's no longer in the top ten.
Steam's top ten is listed in order of revenue, so Valve likely won't be too concerned; the top sellers list is still dominated by Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2, some of company's most profitable titles. The dethroning is also brought about by the immensely popular Baldur's Gate 3 and free-to-play Overwatch 2.
It's possible that the Deck will reclaim its spot once certain games have faded in popularity, but equally possible that this marks the beginning of a period of decline for the Steam Deck. The global economy of 2023 has been shaky, and the base model's price tag of £349 / $399 can be a tough one to justify. Valve have been good about optimizing the Deck, but that may not be enough to loosen purse strings.
Despite some territories having the Deck in their top three, others have it much lower, if it's in the top 100 at all. In China, Japan, and other eastern countries, the Deck was entirely absent, while it hovered around the 15-30 mark in Belgium, Italy, and Spain.
A recent survey of 3000 Deck owners also had some interesting findings. A majority also owned a Nintendo Switch and primarily used their Decks to play indie games. The most-requested features included OLED screens and increased battery life; anyone who doesn't already have a Deck may be waiting for the next generation with the hopes that these will be included.
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Of course, any official news of a Steam Deck 2 or discounts to the handheld would see numbers soar. For now, there are plenty of competitors to keep Valve on their toes.