Memory Shortages Leave Steam Deck Out of Stock Indefinitely

Handheld PC gaming seemed to be heading toward an unstoppable run of converting console gamers eager to test the PC waters with something a bit more recognizable. Historic Switch 2 sales and a PS5 console seemingly swooning with a healthy movement of units every month were no match for the ways in which devices like the Steam Deck were suddenly becoming a staple on train commutes, online forums for cozy titles, and the joys of an entire library of games you’ve collected for years in the palm of your hand. Then, AI happened, and now, as of February 2026, you couldn’t purchase a Steam Deck if you wanted one.

On the Steam Deck homepage, you can view the three currently in-production models of the device, each listing their differences and specs above a button that reads “Out of Stock” for all three options. Below the inability to buy the consoles, a simple message reads, “Note: Steam Deck OLED may be out-of-stock intermittently in some regions due to memory and storage shortages.” Last week, I wrote a bit about the change that a PlayStation 6 console launch delay could occur thanks to a massive shortage of computer chips and RAM. AI data centers, a hot topic of investment for tech companies and the scourge of many local city council meetings in the United States, are to blame.

This market reality we find ourselves in is likely only just beginning, which is horrible timing for Steam’s launch of their new line of products, including a new PC-console hybrid expected to launch this year. Nintendo is considering raising the price of its popular Switch 2, Xbox’s leadership shakeup is making it unlikely they’ll make any major hardware investments in the near future, and Sony is planning to ride it out with the PS5 longer than anticipated. In the games industry, this feels like a time of massive uncertainty, much like the rest of the tech world and global economy at large.

In the grand scheme of things, a shortage of hardware from Steam or other game console makers isn’t going to necessarily make major headlines on the world stage. What I love about the industry we cover, however, is that it blends so many broader spaces, like tech, entertainment, consumer trends, and the arts, into a single space to view how political and economic decisions and dust-ups can impact things people use every day. There’s a good chance we don’t see console price slashing again. There’s a better chance that less and less people in the lower and middle class enter the gaming space entirely. So many things co-occurring at once can be seen in the games industry through the lens of how things like AI, tariffs, and even the way we consume artistic content are rapidly changing our everyday lives.

I’m not going to look into the crystal ball and say what’s ahead in the next six months, let alone six weeks. What I do know is that finding a Steam Deck is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how gaming can change in the AI era. If you want to live vicariously through the past excitement over Valve’s lineup of game hardware, check out the video below. Let me know in the comments if you have a bold prediction of what’s ahead for gamers as less and less parts are available to make our favorite consoles.