Valve will not release a Steam Deck 2 before a generational leap.

Valve has confirmed that it is working on a sequel to the Steam Deck, although it is not expected to be released anytime soon, at least not in the next year. Steam Deck designers Lawrence Yang and Yazan Aldehayyat stated that the company opposes the idea of releasing new hardware versions annually. During an interview, they emphasized that they do not intend to make incremental improvements each year, as they believe this would not be fair to consumers. Yang mentioned that they are waiting for a "generational leap in processing capability without sacrificing battery life" before presenting a suitable Steam Deck 2.

Although Valve is not rushing the development of this new version, the designers expressed their desire to improve the Steam Deck in the future. Aldehayyat highlighted that while the device has resolved many issues for players, there is still work to be done, stating, "there is plenty of room for improvement."

Other members of the Steam Deck team have also shared their expectations regarding the release of a second generation. Pierre-Loup Griffais, another designer of the Steam Deck, indicated in September 2023 that the company hopes to make an update, but is waiting for the aforementioned generational leap. According to his estimates, the Steam Deck 2 could be released in late 2025 or even in 2026. Griffais emphasized the importance of maintaining consistent performance across units, meaning that any significant changes in performance will be carefully considered.

While there might be an interim version like the Steam Deck OLED, Valve has not made any announcements regarding this yet. This model did not offer many improvements aside from switching the LCD screen to OLED and making small enhancements to battery life.