Steam Deck in Spain: 'woke' console flop or just noise?
The Steam Deck has arrived in Spain already labelled 'woke' and a failure. With no sales data available, the debate reveals more about prejudices than about the console itself.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Steam Deck in Spain: the supposed 'proge' console failure that convinces no one
Barely days after its official launch in Spain, the Steam Deck – Valve's handheld PC – has already been labelled 'proge' and a 'failure' in certain circles. But is there any data to back that up, or is it just noise?
The first thing that stands out is that the term 'proge' applied to a gaming machine seems, at the very least, forced. The Steam Deck runs Linux (SteamOS) and its components are standard PC parts. Those defending the label argue that the company 'pushes Linux and pays its employees well', which for some amounts to a pogre agenda. Others, however, point out that a console carries no ideology: 'It comes with no ideology', they say, and its high price is due to the current cost of components, not a political stance.
Commercial failure or misplaced expectations?
The reality is that there are no official sales figures for Spain. The device has only just hit the market, and its price – from 419 to 679 euros depending on the model – places it in a high-end range that inevitably limits sales volume. 'It's expected to sell poorly, but there's no data', sums up one of the most measured voices in the debate. The failure label seems more a wish on the part of some than an established fact.
The generational factor: only for the young?
Another open front is the target audience. While some claim that 'video games are for children and teenagers', others predict that 'before long there will be retirees who have finished San Andreas and want to go back to gaming'. The generational clash is obvious, but it does not determine the product's success or failure.
The inconvenient fact
If the Steam Deck fails, it won't be because of 'proge', but because of a far more mundane factor: the price. With expensive components and a PC user base that already owns their own hardware, Valve's proposition is interesting but risky. The truth is that, as of today, there are no figures confirming either failure or success. The debate, as usual, says more about those taking part in it than about the product itself.
Barely days after its official launch in Spain, the Steam Deck – Valve's handheld PC – has already been labelled 'proge' and a 'failure' in certain circles. But is there any data to back that up, or is it just noise?
The first thing that stands out is that the term 'proge' applied to a gaming machine seems, at the very least, forced. The Steam Deck runs Linux (SteamOS) and its components are standard PC parts. Those defending the label argue that the company 'pushes Linux and pays its employees well', which for some amounts to a pogre agenda. Others, however, point out that a console carries no ideology: 'It comes with no ideology', they say, and its high price is due to the current cost of components, not a political stance.
Commercial failure or misplaced expectations?
The reality is that there are no official sales figures for Spain. The device has only just hit the market, and its price – from 419 to 679 euros depending on the model – places it in a high-end range that inevitably limits sales volume. 'It's expected to sell poorly, but there's no data', sums up one of the most measured voices in the debate. The failure label seems more a wish on the part of some than an established fact.
The generational factor: only for the young?
Another open front is the target audience. While some claim that 'video games are for children and teenagers', others predict that 'before long there will be retirees who have finished San Andreas and want to go back to gaming'. The generational clash is obvious, but it does not determine the product's success or failure.
The inconvenient fact
If the Steam Deck fails, it won't be because of 'proge', but because of a far more mundane factor: the price. With expensive components and a PC user base that already owns their own hardware, Valve's proposition is interesting but risky. The truth is that, as of today, there are no figures confirming either failure or success. The debate, as usual, says more about those taking part in it than about the product itself.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (36 replies).
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