Valve announces Steam Deck handheld

The Steam Deck is a new handheld device for PC games, Valve announced Thursday. The Nintendo Switch-like device is capable of playing Steam games on the go, and is set for release in December 2021 for $399.

Previously rumored as the “SteamPal,” the Steam Deck is a portable console that looks slightly larger than the Nintendo Switch. It features a 7-inch touchscreen, two thumbsticks, a D-pad, and a four-button layout. There are also two trackpads — one on either side of the machine, under the thumbsticks — to allow for increased precision. The Steam Deck has eight triggers on its back: four on the device’s shoulders and four more where the ring and pinky fingers rest.

The Steam Deck will run games from players’ existing Steam libraries. Players will simply log into their account and their friends and catalog should follow them onto the handheld. The Steam Deck is capable of running PC games on its own hardware, without the power of the cloud. Players can also purchase a dock that allows the Steam Deck to run on a TV.

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