In episode 31 Barry and Phil give their initial impressions on Valve’s recently announced Steam Deck handheld PC, and what this could mean for the future of gaming on the go. Plus, did we actually manage to get a pre-order?

Mentioned in Episode 31

• Valve Steam Deck

The post Episode 31: Valve Steam Deck Initial Impressions appeared first on Retro Ages.

In this episode 48 we talk about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson hints at starring in an upcoming movie based on a video game series, what series do we think it could be?  We also take a look at the latest trailer for the upcoming live-action Halo TV series.

This week also sees the launch of the latest Pokémon title with Pokémon Legends Arceus, where it reached the number 1 spot in the UK multi-platform charts.

Then finally, we talk about the bomb-shell Sony has just dropped – They’re acquiring Bungie, the original Halo creators, for an eye-watering $3.6 billion.

Mentioned in Episode 48

• Pokémon Legends Arceus
• Valve Steam Deck
• Destiny 2

The post Episode 48: Steam Deck Gets a Release Date and Sony Buys Bungie! appeared first on Retro Ages.

Like many others, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the opening of pre-orders for Valve’s Steam Deck. Now, almost two hours later I’ve finally managed to pre-order my device. But to get to this point there were a variety of website crashes, glitches and even some tears.

Initially many, myself included, were unable to actually add the console to their basket. This wasn’t helped by an unresponsive website and what appeared to be broken buttons. Eventually, I was able to get one added to my basket. However, this was only a taste of the horrors that awaited me. Those who made it to their baskets were now hit with a myriad of errors. This would range from payment methods timing out, accounts being too new and even an alert stating users had made too many purchases over the last few hours.

While Valve should be praised for their attempts to stop scalpers snapping up all the pre-orders. They have introduced a number of conditions on placing a Steam Deck pre-order. Including insisting on users to have an account created before June, as well as a limit to one pre-order per account. Regardless, it’s obvious they weren’t ready for the massive surge in traffic to their site.

I have finally managed to get my pre-order, through sheer will and tenacity. Unfortunately, in that time the estimated date on availability has slipped from December 2021 to Q1 2022.

Although for those who are happy to wait, pre-orders appear to be working more reliably at the moment.

What are your thoughts on the Valve Steam Deck? Do you think it could be the start of a low-cost portable PC gaming boom, or is it destined to fade into obscurity just like its Steam Box cousins? We’d love to hear in the comments.

The post Issues Plague Valve’s Steam Deck Pre-Orders appeared first on Retro Ages.

Due for release this Christmas, the Steam Deck will start at just £349/$399 for the 64GB model, going up to £569/$649 for the 512GB model. Thankfully, regardless of which of the three models you choose, the internal specifications remain the same, which Valve claims can play modern AAA games on medium to high settings using the console’s 7″ screen.

Valve has even gone as far as showing the Steam Deck playing popular titles Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and DOOM Eternal, and with access to the Steam Store, you’re likely to find hundreds of other fantastic titles. However, you’re not locked in to only using Steam’s storefront.

While the system does come with the Linux-based SteamOS pre-installed, Valve has confirmed you’re free to install any compatible operating system you like. Yes, including Windows. What’s more, Valve will be releasing a Steam Deck dock that you can use to turn the system into a full-sized desktop PC by connecting a monitor, keyboard and mouse.

If you’re interested in pre-ordering the Steam Deck, you can do so through the Steam website starting tomorrow, 16th July 2021. Orders are limited to 1 per account, and new accounts will have to wait until Sunday 18th July before they can pre-order.

The post Valve Announce Steam Deck, a £349 PC-Based Switch Alternative appeared first on Retro Ages.