Valve delays Steam Deck Docking Station due to parts shortages

Valve has officially delayed its release of the Steam Deck Docking Station due to ongoing parts shortages and closures at manufacturing facilities.

Though Valve announced the separately sold accessory ahead of the handheld’s release, the Steam Deck Docking Station previously bore a late spring 2022 launch window.

Notably, the dock comes packed with a USB-C cable to connect to the built-in USB-C port housed atop the device. Steam Deck’s Docking Station also boasts a Display Port 1.4, HDMI 2.0 port, Ethernet jack for networking, and three USB-A ports.

The dock previously featured a solitary USB 3.1 Type-A port and two USB 2.0 ports. However, a silent upgrade earlier in the year removed the latter and added two more USB 3.1 specifications for high-speed connections. There’s presently no word on whether or not these changes impacted production.

Steam Deck’s dock delayed indefinitely

Earlier this week, Valve took to Steam to announce the Steam Deck dock’s indefinite delay. The company cited parts shortages and closures at manufacturing facilities related to the global health situation as the cause.

• Read More: Can you play FFXIV on Steam Deck?

Fortunately, such setbacks will have no effect on the production schedule for the Steam Deck itself; the two products feature different parts and are produced at separate factories.

Valve didn’t offer an updated release timeline for the Docking Station but promised to “work on improving the docked experience.” When prospective buyers can hope to receive new details on the matter presently remains unknown.

Steam Deck owners patiently awaiting the official Steam Deck Docking Station’s release may also want to look into third-party options. The Wavlink 13 in 1 Multiport and UGreen USB-C Multiport Adapter offer fairly priced alternatives, for example.

• Read More: Will Hogwarts Legacy be on Steam Deck?

Valve’s Steam Deck launched earlier this year, allowing Steam users to play much of their game libraries on the go. While the handheld console still has some quirks to work through, Valve President Gabe Newell already expressed an interest in pursuing a second version of the device.