Valve could also be making ready to promote refurbished variations of the Steam Deck, as leaked information briefly appeared on the Steam Database earlier than being eliminated by the storefront.
The listings, labeled as “Licensed Refurbished,” included all three present fashions of the Steam Deck: 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB. Pricing data for every mannequin was additionally uncovered by Pavel Djundik, creator of Steam DB.
- Steam Deck 64 GB – Licensed Refurbished: $319
- Steam Deck 256 GB – Licensed Refurbished: $419
- Steam Deck 512 GB – Licensed Refurbished: $519
These listings have been energetic as of August 7, 2023, however have been taken down by August 8. PC Gamer reported that the shop names have been rapidly modified to “Unknown App,” and the descriptions have been eliminated, redirecting the shop pages to the primary storefront.
Apparently, the refurbished costs matched the costs in the course of the preliminary sale of the Steam Deck. This means that Valve could also be contemplating the refurbished possibility sooner or later.
Valve ought to significantly take into account this feature
The Steam Deck has been tremendously profitable for Valve, to the purpose the place a possible Steam Deck 2 is at present being thought of, although it’s nonetheless far off. Nonetheless, the Steam Deck is a pricey machine which will deter budget-conscious shoppers. Providing used or refurbished variations could possibly be a sensible transfer, as it’s a well-established apply within the gaming trade.
Valve has the capability to simply restore Steam Decks, particularly with the provision of components by means of its partnership with iFixit. This partnership seemingly reduces the price of repairs, making a first-party refurbishing market extremely worthwhile.
There could also be considerations about guarantee protection for refurbished Decks, however contemplating that even used consoles often include a guaranty from third-party sellers, Valve would seemingly supply its personal guarantee as nicely.
In any case, Valve ought to significantly take into account this feature, as failing to enter this market would permit third-party sellers to reap the benefits of the chance and Valve would miss out on important income.