Steam Deck OLED 512GB: Now $789 USD; CAD 1,129; EUR 779; GBP 649; AUD 1,199; PLN 3,279
Steam Deck OLED 1TB: Now $949 USD; CAD 1,349; EUR 919; GBP 779; AUD 1,429; PLN 3,879
Steam Deck OLED 512GB: Now $789 USD; CAD 1,129; EUR 779; GBP 649; AUD 1,199; PLN 3,279
Steam Deck OLED 1TB: Now $949 USD; CAD 1,349; EUR 919; GBP 779; AUD 1,429; PLN 3,879
It will probably come with and without gamepad. As you can use other gamepads too and maybe you have one already. At times like these, having the choice of buying without gamepad to get it 100 Dollars / Euros cheaper is worth a lot.
I absolutely get that it makes sense that a new console comes without a controller, many people already have controllers.
But a controller is also pretty essential, and controllers get worn out too. So a bundling price of the 2 could also be more attractive for most.
A controller is not essential for a PC / Steam Machine. Who says everyone wants to use a controller for the Steam Machine? One could just use mouse and keyboard and that is not wrong. Or another one already purchased the Steam Controller standalone (or has other controllers that could be used). On a console, usually you need the official controller as most controllers won’t work. I mean if you have a Xbox or Switch controller, it would not work on a Playstation. But most controllers work on a PC / Steam Machine.
In example, if I were to buy a Steam Machine, I would choose one without controller. Why? Because I have multiple, even a Steam Controller already. There is 0 value for me to pay 100 Euros extra for a controller I would not need. Valve tries to get the price down as much as possible, and having that option is a simple way.
There is absolutely nothing necessary about the steam controller. Everything can be done with other controllers or input methods. We have steam input available.
I’ve used the deck and Linux in general on TVs and in desktop setups. I pretty much always need a keyboard and mouse handy for specific things or specific games. Just makes it easier… like it’s always faster to type text on an honest to god keyboard than any other input methods from voice to motion to touch to sign language. A wireless keyboard is about the same price as a pizza where I live.