Steam Deck’s unexpectedly successful pre-order period has led Valve to rethink some of its software-related strategies going forward.
READ MORE: ‘Shin Megami Tensei V’ review: an apocalyptic rave through a sadistic RPG masterclass
Content creator, Tyler McVicker has been examining datamines and information from the games and hardware developer, and has given some insight into what its strategy is moving forward. Despite critical success, the low install base of costly VR meant that Half-Life: Alyx did not perform as well as expected.
Contrary to this, Valve’s first attempt at a portable console, the Steam Deck, gained far more interest than the company expected. McVicker claims that the company has pivoted its interests into the new system as it makes a push for release.
Speaking to PCGamesN, McVicker said that the game Valve is currently focusing on is a project codenamed Citadel, a nostalgic co-op first-person shooter which is being developed with the Steam Deck in mind. Other games Valve is reportedly working on are far less of a priority.
Half-Life 3 may have a few people experimenting on it but is very unlikely to be in active development. The project code named HLX, a VR follow up to Half-Life: Alyx, is very much in the mechanical testing phase still according to McVicker. Since the Steam Deck has now missed a holiday release due to supply chain issues, Valve’s focus has moved here.
Recommended
McVicker also expressed concerns that less prioritised projects, such as the ones mentioned above, may be abandoned over the winter break. He explains that developers take a break over Christmas and take the time to come up with new ideas they pitch on return to work. These projects often push back or even cancel the development of lesser projects as with Team Fortress 2 Invasion.
In other news, another Sony patent has been found which shows two halves of a DualShock controller straddling either side of a portable screen. This could be part of PlayStation‘s pivot to mobile.