Steam Deck prices were raised by hundreds of dollars, turning previously affordable PC gaming devices into luxury goods. The change was linked to rising component costs and severe disruptions in the component supply chain that ultimately affect spending funded by Steam customers. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney criticized the situation and took a jab at Valve CEO Gabe Newell, referencing Newell’s highly visible yacht lifestyle. The Leviathan yacht, priced around $500 million, features lavish amenities including a submarine garage, basketball court, and a PC gaming café. Responses to Sweeney included accusations of hypocrisy, pointing to Epic’s layoffs of about 1,000 employees and questioning whether Valve had laid off staff.
"Valve, a very lean, very profitable tech company estimated to make $50 million per employee, announced this week that it was raising Steam Deck prices by hundreds of dollars. Some of the most affordable, bang-for-your-buck PC gaming devices immediately became luxury goods."
""Everyone's being too harsh here," Sweeney posted on Thursday afternoon. "There has been a significant rise in the cost of components that Steam customer spending ultimately funds, and economic trends have created severe disruptions in the component parts supply chain for megayachts.""
"The $500 million boat has been getting glowing blowouts in and over the past year promoting all of its lavish amenities. Those include a submarine garage, basketball court, and, naturally, a PC gaming café."
"People immediately responded to Sweeney's uncharacteristic jab at the lives of the rich and famous by pointing out that just months ago he fired 1,000 employees. "Hey Tim when was the last time Valve laid off their employees?" one person on X wrote. "Oh yeah never?""
Read at Kotaku
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