Pointing out that Steam Deck sales are down following Valve's price hikes feels a little silly, but the figures are pretty rough. While between 11,000 and 18,000 portables were previously being snapped up by players per week, that respectable number has reportedly dropped by 82%. I'm not convinced pricing is completely to blame for this massive dip, though.
First highlighted by Boiling Steam, Steam Deck sales analysis using SteamDB suggests Valve is now shifting between 1,400 and 3,000 handhelds per week. The site estimates that the portable was previously bringing in $6-10 million per week, with revenue potentially plummeting to between $1.2 and $2.5M after the drop.
Keep in mind these aren't official Valve Steam Deck sales figures, as Boiling Steam has rather cleverly used weekly chart data and revenue range calculations to generate an estimated figure, as its position has slipped from around #4 to #5 last year to as low as #15 in mid 2026.
I'm not remotely shocked that increasing the Steam Deck OLED by over 40% has impacted its sales, even if it is still my best gaming handheld pick. The portable was never designed to exist within the upper premium bracket of portable gaming, especially since punchier contenders like the ROG Xbox Ally X are hanging out just under $1,000.
At the same time, I'm not convinced Valve's seeming mandatory price increase is entirely to blame for the Steam Deck's flatlining figures. I'd be surprised if the Steam Machine hasn't had some impact, with players choosing to hold off and invest in the mini PC instead. I'm also all too aware the handheld is now over four years old, so some of you might be waiting on the Steam Deck 2 rather than splashing out just under $800 for something "last gen".
Don't get me wrong - pricing still sits at the centre of the Steam Deck's sharp sales dip. Even if the additional player motives are true, the handheld would still draw more attention if it were available for its original $399 launch price, as it's still an extraordinary portable that focuses on the overall gaming experience rather than raw performance.
Yes, things look pretty shaky for my favorite handheld, but I don't think it's all over for the Steam Deck. I reckon that it will see a slight uplift in demand once the Steam Machine hype leaves the station, but its affordability thunder has currently been snatched by the white ROG Xbox Ally since it's $599.99 at Best Buy. If I'm being real, I don't even think that latter alternative is a "bargain", but given that Ayaneo wants over $4,000 for its top-end Next 2 model, Microsoft's system is one of the only options that has a semi-reasonable MSRP.
Take a peek at the best retro handhelds if you'd rather revisit your favorite classics.
