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Valve Delays Steam Deck Docking Station Due to Parts Shortage

Both parts shortages and COVID-19 have pushed its arrival back.

Headshot of Andrew Blok
Headshot of Andrew Blok
Andrew Blok Former Editor
Andrew Blok covered home energy, with a focus on solar, and navigated the changing energy landscape to help people make smart energy decisions. He's a graduate of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State and has written for several publications in the Great Lakes region, including Great Lakes Now and Environmental Health News.
Expertise Solar providers and portable solar power; coffee makers, grinders and products Credentials
  • Master's degree in environmental journalism
Andrew Blok
The Steam Deck handheld gaming device

Steam Deck will lie flat for at least a bit longer.

 Dan Ackerman/CNET

The promised docking station for the Steam Deck will arrive even later than expected, Valve said in a blog post Thursday. The $399 handheld gaming PC debuted in February, but the separately sold docking station wasn't available at launch. 

Now the docking station is being further delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and a parts shortage, Valve said. The company didn't set an expected release date.

Valve launched the Steam Deck to bring the power of PC gaming to a portable format, building on the success of Steam, the popular online game store and platform. By some accounts, it's the first successful portable PC gaming device.

However, the Steam Deck doesn't have a built-in kick stand, and some people have taken to making their own.

When the first run of Steam Deck consoles sold out, Valve began taking reservations for consoles to be delivered after the second quarter in 2022. The delay to the docking station doesn't affect production or delivery of the consoles, Valve said. 

Supply chain issues and chip shortages brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have caused problems across tech and beyond, from car manufacturers to phone makers like Apple. 

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