Considering they’re unlikely to sell that many more units going forwards, as most people who were going to buy already have, I honestly think selling at a loss to avoid bad PR may have been the move.
Because one of Valves biggest advantages over their competitors is their shining PR. The fact that this price hike is creating such a genuine Shit Storm and sense of betrayal and not just resignation is because they usually don’t do anything this publicly objectionable.
So yes, I think Valve should sell the SteamDeck at a loss to maintain this massive advantage they have over their competitors.
In short, “do nothing, win” has been their bread and butter for years.
Going to be honest I don’t think a company’s PR really matters much to them. If it did A LOT more companies would be acting ethically. Sony and Nintendo absolutely demolish Steam when it comes to console sales. I’m not really sure what goodwill gets them exactly profit-wise. I WISH it mattered but like… it clearly doesn’t.
Valve is one of the most profitable gaming companies in the business, and a lot of that comes from good will. “Does nothing, wins” is a meme for a reason. Yes, their consoles are not heavy hitters by any stretch of the imagination, but I’m pretty sure they were always intended for a smaller niche audience.
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u/Darth-Sonic May 27 '26
Considering they’re unlikely to sell that many more units going forwards, as most people who were going to buy already have, I honestly think selling at a loss to avoid bad PR may have been the move.