Steam Deck Sales Plummet by 82% After Price Hike

Valve's device is now significantly outmatched by competitors: the ASUS ROG Ally X offers more modern technical specifications at a comparable price.

Following a massive price increase for the Steam Deck, Valve has seen a sharp decline in sales of its portable console. According to a new estimate, weekly shipments of the device have decreased by approximately 82%, and demand for the console has noticeably dropped after prices rose by nearly 45%.

Previously, the Steam Deck was considered one of the best value propositions in the portable gaming PC market, but after the price increase to $789–$949, the situation changed. The new pricing policy drew widespread criticism among gamers and industry representatives. In particular, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney publicly criticized Valve's decision and even reproached Gabe Newell, stating that the company is raising prices while its founder buys expensive yachts.

The new data comes from the Boiling Steam portal, which assessed sales dynamics using a similar methodology previously used to analyze Steam Machine. The calculation is based on changes in the Steam Deck's position in the Steam Global Weekly Top Sellers ranking.

While the device consistently held 4th–5th place in the chart in 2025, by mid-2026, it had dropped to approximately 14th position. Analysts estimate that weekly revenue from Steam Deck sales decreased from $6–10 million to $1.2–2.5 million.

Based on the average new price of the device — about $835 compared to the previous $540 — the report's authors calculated that weekly sales decreased from 11,000–18,000 units in 2025 to 1,400–3,000 in mid-2026. This corresponds to an approximately 82% drop in shipments.