Valve may start selling refurbished Steam Decks, according to new leak
A refurbished Steam Deck may be coming soon
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Valve could soon start selling refurbishedSteamDecks, according to leaked data that was briefly posted on the Steam Database before the storefront scrubbed the site clean of said data.
The listings that were marked “Certified Refurbished” all included the three current models of theSteam Deck— 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB. We even had possible pricing for each model, which was uncovered by Steam DB creatorPavel Djundik.
Those listings were as current as August 7, 2023, but had been taken down by August 8. According toPC Gamer, the store names had been “swiftly changed to the more generic “Unknown App” shortly thereafter, the descriptions were removed, and the store pages redirected to the storefront.”
What’s even more interesting is that while those refurbished prices weren’t final, they’re the same as the prices during theSteam Deck’s first-ever sale. So while it’s possible that Valve might not go the refurbished route, there’s a solid chance they will in the future.
Valve should seriously consider this option
The Steam Deck has been a huge success for Valve, so much so that aSteam Deck 2 is currently in consideration(though still a long way off). However, it’s still a pricey machine that those looking for a budget portable might otherwise avoid. Selling used or refurbished versions of its portable would be a solid idea, one that the gaming industry has embraced for decades.
Valve could easily repair Steam Decks, as most of its parts had already been made available throughits partnership with iFixit. And most likely the cost of repairs is much cheaper due to this partnership, which could make a first-party refurbishing market quite profitable.
There could be worries about whether refurbished Decks will be covered under a warranty but, considering that even used consoles are usually covered under a warranty by the third-party seller, Valve would most likely have one of its own.
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Regardless, it’s an option that Valve needs to seriously consider because if it doesn’t sink its teeth into this market now, third-party sellers will be guaranteed to do it themselves and Valve will miss out on some serious profit.
Named by the CTA as a CES 2023 Media Trailblazer, Allisa is a Computing Staff Writer who covers breaking news and rumors in the computing industry, as well as reviews, hands-on previews, featured articles, and the latest deals and trends. In her spare time you can find her chatting it up on her two podcasts, Megaten Marathon and Combo Chain, as well as playing any JRPGs she can get her hands on.
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