Valve has announced that the Steam Deck will launch in Japan and several other Asian territories, slowly bringing its much-lauded portable PC closer to Australia.
Steam Deck can now be pre-ordered in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The company that manages the reservations in the four countries is Komodo, Valve’s authorized distributor in the region. There is no confirmed release date yet, although Valve indicates that the hardware preordered today will be delivered later this year. However, this is an important step in bringing the Steam Deck to markets outside of North America, the UK, and Europe.
The news was announced via the official Steam Deck social media channels.
Steam Deck is coming to new regions! Starting today, you can reserve a Steam Deck in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, with the help of Komodo, the authorized Steam Deck reseller in those regions: https://t.co/jVvhAGq5MA
Reserve yours now at https://t.co/0Voqd80sSC pic.twitter.com/hqg7RWJwEO
– Vapor Deck (@OnDeck) August 4, 2022
The news reconfirms that Valve will be partnering with a vetted local reseller when launching the Steam Deck in a new region. It’s safe to say that frequent partner EB Games will get a tap on the shoulder when it’s finally Australia’s turn. Until then, we’ll continue to rely on gray imports (and honestly, today’s news may make that process a lot easier).
The device has proven to be a hit in Western markets, and it’s easy to imagine Japan adopting the Steam Deck as well. The wider APAC region will be watching with interest how the uptake is in these regions. With enough, er, steam behind it, hopefully, it won’t be long before Valve expands its reach again.