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Sony and Microsoft aren't the only companies struggling when it comes to hardware releases due to global supply chain shortages.
Valve has just announced that the release of its Steam Deck console will officially be delayed by two months, which rounds out to February 2022.
The tweet below shares the message that was emailed to those who pre-ordered the Steam Deck earlier this year.
Those who pre-ordered the device will maintain their place in line for the the reservation queue, but actual reservation dates have been pushed back as a result of the delay. Estimated reservation dates are expected to be announced soon.
As the message states, the delay is reportedly due to global supply chain issues, which has had its impact on the next-gen console releases of the PS5 and Xbox Series X | S.
With the original release window for the Steam Deck having been next month, hopefully, you have a Plan B ready to put into action if you were planning on gifting the device. While this news is disappointing, it certainly sounds like the wait will be worth it – especially considering all of the work that Valve seems to be putting into its portable console for a seamless and user-friendly experience.
If we're being realistic, February seems like a pretty optimistic launch window considering hardware and supply chain shortages around the world – a lingering effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. A two month delay for a much sought after gaming console sounds great, but it wouldn't necessarily be surprising if additional delays were to occur, or if the release was extremely limited in the quantity to consoles actually available.
We'll just have to wait and see, though. Thankfully, gamers are all too familiar with delays and dealing with troublesome console releases. So we can just take solace in the fact that this is really nothing new, right? ... Right...?