Severe cold snap for laptop PC fans: the Steam Deck 2 would not be planned before 2028. According to a new leak, the next console of Valve would arrive at best six years after the original model launched in February 2022, and almost five years after the Steam Deck OLED of 2023.
This leak doesn’t come out of nowhere. It comes from the hardware insider KeplerL2who let go NeoGaf that Valve “were targeting 2028”, information taken up by Insider Gaming and numerous media. Above all, the insider warns that the “whole RAM/NAND situation could delay it”, the shortage of memory could further push back this date. Enough to seriously question the future of Steam Deck 2 and what players should do in the meantime.
Steam Deck 2: what does the leak really say about its release date?
The key message appeared in August 2025 in a NeoGaf thread dedicated to portable consoles. Asked about the hypothesis of a Steam Deck 2 pushed back to 2029, KeplerL2 replied that, according to his information, Valve “were targeting 2028”. Three words that establish for the first time a credible window for the machine.
In the same exchange, the insider immediately qualifies this timetable by pointing out the component crisis: the “whole RAM/NAND situation could delay it”. Clearly, the shortage of RAM and storage which is affecting the entire industry could push the Steam Deck 2 beyond 2028 if costs remain too high or if supply remains unstable.
Insider Gaming adds an interesting detail: as the Steam Deck is not built on a fixed “semi-custom SoC” like a future PS6, manufacturers could still upgrade the chip, and “it could end up with better specs” if the project slips. The longer the wait, the higher the technological step between the first and second generation could be.
Steam Deck 2: why is Valve aiming for 2028 and not before?
This leak fits pretty well with Valve’s official speech since the launch of the machine. Those responsible for the project, like Lawrence Yang or Pierre-Loup Griffais, repeat that they will only release a successor if it brings a real generational leap, not just 20, 30 or even 50 percent more performance at the expense of autonomy.
On the hardware side, several analyzes estimate that AMD APUs capable of offering this famous leap without exploding consumption will only really arrive after 2027, with new, more efficient CPU and GPU architectures. A release in 2028 would therefore place Steam Deck 2 on a cycle close to that of classic home consoles, with around six years between two generations.
The most explosive variable, however, remains memory. Valve has already recognized that the Steam Deck OLED was experiencing breakdowns linked to the shortage of RAM and NAND, to the point of having to talk about “reassessing pricing” for other projects like the Steam Machine. In this context, the 2028 calendar looks more like a goal than a promise set in stone.
Steam Deck 2 in 2028: should you wait or buy a Steam Deck OLED now?
On the current range, Valve has drawn a line under the LCD model at the end of 2025, leaving the Steam Deck OLED as the definitive version of the first generation. The console continues to receive updates SteamOS and the “Verified on Steam Deck” program is progressing, which guarantees several more years of comfortable support.
If you don’t have a PC portable console today, waiting at least until 2028 means spending two to three years without a portable solution, while the OLED Deck is already well mastered, often on sale and very simple to use compared to a classic Windows PC. In this case, betting on the current Steam Deck still makes a lot of sense.
For players already equipped with a Steam Deck, a ASUS ROG Allyof a Lenovo Legion Go or a MSI Claw 8 AI+the 2028 leak above all confirms that they can use their current equipment with peace of mind. The Steam Deck 2 seems to be shaping up as a true new generation, but between the chip roadmap and the memory shortage, no one can guarantee that 2028 will be met.