A product line is on the verge of disappearing due to soaring prices.

The heyday of handheld gaming consoles is almost over as prices continue to rise, including for products like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2.

The current starting price of the Steam Deck is almost double that of the original version. Photo: The Verge .

Just a few years ago, users only needed around $400 to own a handheld device that could play most PC games. Since the launch of Steam Deck in 2022, accessing PC games has become more affordable and convenient.

After four years, Valve has significantly increased the price of its product. The 512GB Steam Deck OLED version has risen from $550 to $790 , while the 1TB option has increased from $650 to $950 . The company stated that the price increase stems from the higher cost of RAM and storage.

Compared to its launch price, the cheapest Steam Deck option is now almost twice as expensive. A company representative emphasized that another reason for the price increase stems from "logistical challenges in the global industry."

Similarly, the first-generation Nintendo Switch was priced at $300 . After introducing the Switch 2 and considering "market fluctuations," the Japanese company plans to increase the price to $500 , more expensive than even the disc-less PlayStation 5 Slim at its initial release.

Handheld gaming consoles were once seen as a more affordable alternative to dedicated gaming consoles and PCs. However, things have changed in just a few years.

According to The Verge , that timeframe wasn't even enough for competitors to build their brand. When Microsoft noticed users switching from Windows to Linux because of Steam Deck, they quickly launched the Xbox Ally X (in partnership with Asus) but at a price of $1,000 . This was on par with PCs rather than traditional handheld gaming consoles or game consoles.

At $790 , the Steam Deck could make things easier for Microsoft and its Windows competitors. If you have a larger budget, you can opt for the Xbox Ally X, which runs on the familiar Windows platform, offers good performance, and receives regular updates and bug fixes.

Other models on the market are also no longer as cheap as before. The Lenovo Legion S now starts at $1,580 , almost double its launch price ( $830 ). The Legion Go 2 with the Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip (the same as the Xbox Ally X) has increased in price from $1,350 to $2,000 .

The MSI Claw 8 AI Plus also increased in price from $1,000 to $1,300 . According to The Verge , users can no longer simply buy and experience the product; they must think more carefully before owning a handheld gaming device at such a high price.

Another factor that could affect the market is Sony's decision to no longer bring large-scale single-player games to PC. In recent years, the Steam Deck has been considered the best mobile PlayStation gaming device.

Handheld gaming consoles are no longer as accessible as they once were. Photo: The Verge .

In fact, video game consoles aren't the only devices going up in price. According to The Verge , Nintendo and Valve's price increases have come even later than some other companies.

"Console gaming is gradually becoming a luxury, a niche market," commented Andrew Webster, editor at The Verge , in early May. At that time, Sony and Microsoft were continuously raising product prices, with Nintendo being the last remaining contender.

According to Webster, the increase in gaming console prices is contrary to the past, when devices tended to decrease in price over time. Besides hardware costs, the gaming market is experiencing significant volatility as game companies continuously lay off employees, cancel projects, and close studios.

PC gamers will also easily notice that their hobby will become more expensive. Besides the skyrocketing prices of RAM and hard drives, every chip manufacturer is also pursuing the AI ​​server market, creating a shortage of mainstream chips.

Source: https://znews.vn/may-game-cam-tay-gio-da-khac-post1655180.html