It only took a year (indeed, actually less), but in the end Valve has done it. Starting today, in fact, Steam Deck can be purchased without any kind of waiting list in most countries. The announcement came during the Spanish night: the hardware can now be bought freely, together with its dock, a much desired object by console owners.
In reality, the good news is soon replaced by a bitter truth. If it is true that Valve has managed to eliminate waiting lists for Steam Deck, it is also true that the same is not really freely purchasable. In Spain (but the situation is practically identical worldwide) the base model has extremely long delivery times, with a shipping window that varies from October to December. The intermediate and advanced models are available now, but they certainly won't last long. In short, although there is no longer a need for waiting lists, shipments are still subject to decidedly long waiting times. Valve has probably (actually, definitely) improved production, but even more effort is needed to be able to satisfy all players.
Clearly in this precarious situation, where semiconductors are feeling the effects of pandemic and war, with all the main difficulties that emerge precisely in this period, what Valve did is something of a miracle. Miracle that Microsoft and Sony still can't do with their Xbox Series X and their PlayStations, still impossible to buy regularly today and which still have to compromise precisely with waiting lists and long queues.
Steam Deck debuted in February 2022 and immediately proved to be Valve's most important project in the hardware field, immediately after virtual reality viewers. A global success has prompted the company to think about the next device, but at the moment it is still only on paper.
