If you look at the 3 console manufacturers, you’ll notice a pattern. Switch OLED was announced 3 months before release. Ps4 pro was announced 2 months before its release. Xbox one x was announced 5 months before release.
The steam deck OLED? 7 days
The reason that manufacturers give consumers at least a couple months before a release of a new device is so they can feel they made an informed decision on their purchase, and not feel burned when the next iteration is released. No, the device they currently have doesn’t lose inherent value to them. However, knowing that the next thing is coming out in just a couple weeks could make informed consumers hold off for the sale of the now outdated model.
Also inb4 people say “but it’s not a console…”, PC manufacturers have pretty consistent hardware release schedules as well, so the comparison stands.
The fact is this is an established norm for other manufacturers and that valve went against just comes across as anti consumer. And I think that just surprised a lot of people since Gabe’s whole “piracy is almost always a service problem…” Take and the return policy on games make the company appear as super consumer centric, however this release feels out of character.
Valve isn’t like other manufacturers. Remember the original Xbox 360? (The last console I paid any attention too) and the red ring of death? That system had a 54% fail rate within its first year and if you bought a brand new 360 and a month later it died your paying the cash to fix it or replace it. And don’t even think About fixing it yourself.
Take valve now. People have literally accidentally driven over their decks with a truck which is absolutely not covered under warranty and valve covers it anyways. They offer all the parts and instructions on how to fix it yourself and sell a great system.
If you’d rather have the Microsoft like company with your 90 day announcements go right ahead. At least you’ll kinda know what it looks like and that it’s a shit product in advanced 🙄
“Look, they are worse” has never been a good argument.
I just think it’s funny how much the community has been asking for an OLED steam deck and better hardware only for so many people to cry about it when they get what they wanted all because it “wasn’t announced the way I wanted”
But what is more likely is that they are trying to get the new units out before Christmas but had they announced a new version then 95% of people would not order the old ones waiting for the new ones. And because valve sells the deck at a loss (game sales making up for it) they likely needed to get rid of old stock before they could afford to offer this newer version. And so is also very possible that valve has been trying to secure a supplier and weren’t able to get one until very recently.
But look at all the times a company who had a product that was selling alot of units who announced a newer faster better version of that product who didn’t totally flop.
It nearly put apple out of business when Steve Jones bragged about the apple2 altell it shut them down and many many more.
So either you have a short window and able to get it by Christmas. Or you can have your 90 days and get it in March.