Valve has announced via their Steam Deck-specific Twitter that they will begin shipping Steam Deck consoles to Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan on December 17th.
We’re happy to announce that Steam Decks will start shipping in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan on December 17th via Komodo, our official Steam Deck distributor in these regions.
Customers in these regions can reserve the Steam Deck here: https://t.co/OSqJUPyW5k pic.twitter.com/clz5k5PObi
— Steam Deck (@OnDeck) November 30, 2022
Back in August of this year, Valve announced that the handheld console would be launching in these specific countries. Reservations were opened through Valve’s authorised reseller Komodo with no specific release date, but an assurance that items would begin to ship towards the end of the year.
Now the shipping date has been announced, and Valve has confirmed that starting December 1st, customers who have already reserved their Steam Decks in Japan. South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan will begin to receive emails to finalise their orders from December 1st.
Starting December 1st, customers in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan who have already reserved their Steam Deck will receive email confirmations to finalize their orders. These orders will start shipping on December 17th. pic.twitter.com/4phRyosDcl
— Steam Deck (@OnDeck) November 30, 2022
While Nintendo still reigns over the rest in Japan, the release of the Steam Deck could prove to be a worthy challenger to the Nintendo Switch. Considering handheld is seemingly more popular in Japan, we could potentially see the Steam Deck contending with the Switch over other consoles in the market.
The starting prices for the Steam Deck in the listed countries are as follows:
- 59,800 yen in Japan
- HK$ 3,288 in Hong Kong
- KRW 589,000 in Korea
- NT$ 13,380 in Taiwan
I think a whole lot of us Australians had our eyes truly peeled since the Steam Deck was announced for Japan and co. The Steam Deck was inching closer and closer to our shores, so surely it’s any day now right?
Well, with reservations no longer needed to buy a Steam Deck in the countries it’s already available in and a release in several Asian countries, hopefully, we won’t have much longer to wait.
That doesn’t mean we can’t beg and plead though, and that’s exactly what the Australian crowd seems to be doing over in the announcement’s replies.
Can we please have any words on the Australian consumer side of things for Steam? I would rather be told we will never receive Steam products rather than having no answers to go off on. :c
— YoBro (@YoBroSkiis) November 30, 2022
What did Australia do to you guys?
Whatever it is, we’re sorry.
— Elliot (@slyalmond) November 30, 2022
Australia when?!?!?!?
— Zed (@ZedTenorio) November 30, 2022
Me again 🙏 pic.twitter.com/slEVyWpybX
— Tim Beech (@Beechos__) November 30, 2022
As somebody that had the chance to give the Steam Deck a try at PAX Australia, I too am on my knees, begging. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. As production goes up and more countries get the Steam Deck, it only makes sense that the handheld console is on the horizon. We won’t know until we know, though!
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