Valve delays Steam Deck dock due to COVID-related shortages and closures

Valve shared yesterday that its official docking station made to pipe the Steam Deck’s visuals to a TV or monitor (and connect a couple of USB peripherals) has been delayed yet again. The dock missed its initial launch window of shipping alongside the first batch of Deck reservations in late February, and a mix of ongoing part shortages and COVID-related work stoppages has pushed its release further into the future. Valve didn’t share when it’s aiming to release the dock, though it says it’s “working on improving the situation.”

For the many who are still waiting on their Steam Deck reservations to arrive, Valve wants you to know that this dock delay will have no impact on console production. It says that these docks use different parts, and they’re made in different factories.

To make the wait more bearable for people who already own a Deck, Valve said its team is working to improve how the handheld PC console works with other USB-C hubs and external displays. And, given that the team has already shown how rapidly it can iterate on the Deck’s software, that’s encouraging.

On that note, if you’re tired of waiting on Valve’s official dock, I suggest trying out one of the many somewhat-affordable USB-C hubs that are readily available. Some replies to Valve’s tweet offer up workarounds (though few, if any, offer DisplayPort, like the Deck dock will). And while I haven’t personally tried the Steam Deck with a USB-C hub, most of these models listed on Amazon should do the trick. Just look for something that has HDMI output and can provide at least 45W of USB-C passthrough power for the Deck, which is a pretty low bar these days.