Valve only announced their handheld PC gaming machine a day ago, but it seems like that was enough to get the word out-when the Steam Deck went up for presale today at 1PM ET, the demand from gamers threw Steam into a loop, causing the store to produce error after error. Every step seemed to throw up a new stumbling block: two-factor authentication if you weren’t signed in, the requirement for some signed-in accounts to sign in again, credit card checks, and even a wacky response from a system that classified long-established Steam accounts as “too new” to participate.
During the preorder frenzy, other aspects of Steam became sluggish as well. This morning, the whole Steam shop, Steam’s community sections, and the age barrier that allows you to browse mature-rated games didn’t always operate.
With a little luck and a lot of refreshing, two Verge editors were able to go through the reservation process and deposit $5 in their Steam Wallet to reserve a Steam Deck. Later in the day, another made it through.
Because the reservation system chose to shut off anyone with new or unused accounts for the first 48 hours, it’s difficult to say whether the issues were caused by real people who wouldn’t let their handhelds go, or if bot operators found a way around the restriction. Even after receiving Steam error messages indicating that was the problem, one Verge editor confirmed that his credit card company was not rejecting the purchase. People who had their reservations marked have noted that the Steam shop page has been updated later in the day. According to people I’ve spoken with, “your projected availability” is set for early 2022. Does this imply that Valve anticipates a very limited initial supply? As the Steam Dock’s release date approaches, we’ll learn more about the production plans.
On the customer side, it appeared to be equally as tough, if not more difficult, than getting a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or Switch OLED. The chaos didn’t reach the levels we’ve seen while attempting to get a new graphics card, but that could change if someone discovers how to mine cryptocurrency on the Zen 2 processor inside.
Reference:https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/16/22580453/valve-steam-deck-pre-order-handheld-pc-gaming
