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When will the Steam platform launch in Australia?
steam deck is Valve’s handheld gaming PC, and since its February release, it’s drawn some positive — albeit caveat — reviews.Our Wes spent a lot of time testing this device, come on in conclusion It’s “clunky for a handheld device, but makes up for it with unparalleled versatility and an amazing price.”
It does have a killer price, if You happen to live in one of the regions it ships to. The Steam Deck starts at $399 in the US, with $529 and $649 models for higher and better NVMe SSD storage. Still, it won’t work for Australians, as Steam Deck hasn’t shipped to Australia as of March 2022, there’s no Australian price, and if you do want to jump ship and get one, it ends up being way bigger than listed above Numbers are expensive.
From the launch of Steam Deck in February 2022, the unit only ships to the US, UK, Canada and EU. Valve hasn’t provided any rough window on when Steam Deck will officially release in Australia (or indeed any other region), but if Valve Index launches in Australia is any sign. Following the official release of the VR kit in 2019, Until August 2021 The earphones will be officially sold in Australia.
When is the Australian release date for the Steam platform?
Steam Deck currently has no release date in Australia. If you try to pre-order a unit on Steam, you’ll get the frustratingly vague notification “This item is not available for pre-order in your country”.
The word “reservation” is not optimistic. Valve is working hard to meet demand in regions where it has already shipped, and anyone who pre-orders is expected to ship in or after the second quarter of 2022. So we’d be surprised if the Steam Deck is released in Australia before 2023.
Remember: the Valve Index didn’t officially hit the Australian market until two years after its initial launch in the Northern Hemisphere, and even now, its reseller EB Games only offers the base station as a standalone unit – for the best VR headset to buy. Does Valve hate Australia? Probably not, but as a small market we are not a priority.
How much does a Steam Deck cost in Australia?
Surprisingly, Steam Deck may cost about the same in Australia as it does in other regions. So if you want the 64GB base model, expect to pay around AU$535 (that’s the same price as the Nintendo Switch OLED model), with the 256GB and 512GB models priced at AU$706 and AU$866 respectively. Note that these estimates do not include GST.
Prices for consumer technology tend to vary by region, so it is unlikely that the currency exchange above is the exact pricing for the Australian Steam platform. Since the official pricing of the Valve Index in Australia is almost the same as in the US, we thought it would be about the same.
It depends, though, on whether Valve chooses to use local retailers to distribute Steam Deck, as it did with the Valve Index, or whether it wants to ship it itself. Steam Deck is only available for purchase directly from Valve in regions where Valve is currently available, but shipping is currently free.
I don’t want to wait: how do I buy Steam decks in Australia now?
If you want to buy Steam decks in Australia right now, it’s technically impossible: they’re only “pre-order” after all. However, where there is a will, there is a way…albeit in an expensive and annoying way.
This way is to use a package forwarding service, but you will also need to use a VPN and a US prepaid card provider. Sounds a bit like a sore butt, but? Do not? Read on.
Get a VPN
The first order of the day is to pre-order using a VPN with servers located in an eligible shipping country, such as the US.Our friends at Techradar have a list best VPN serviceyou might be fine using one of The best free VPN— For example, ProtonVPN Free’s servers are located in the United States.Once Steam thinks you’re in the US, you can actually click Steam Deck Purchase Page.
Get a US Prepaid Card
But wait! You can pre-order the Steam deck, but you won’t be able to pay with an Australian credit card or PayPal account unless you pay the $5 pre-order fee. You will need a US prepaid card, which is annoying, but many recommend US Unlocked. This basically lets you choose how much money to put on a virtual payment card that you can use to check out at region-locked U.S. stores.
This is an annoying process. You need to verify your account to deposit funds to your virtual card, which means providing an image of your driver’s license or passport. You also pay a monthly fee of $3.50 to US Unlocked to use it (if your account has no credit, this fee is not charged, so you only pay once). Then there’s a $0.50 transaction fee, and a load fee that varies between 3% and 7% of the load amount you charge to your virtual card.
Get package forwarding services
A package forwarding service basically gives you a virtual address in another region, such as the United States. From that virtual address your package is then shipped to your Australian address. You’ll need one, as Valve only ships the Steam Deck to eligible regions, so you can’t ship it directly to Australia.
Australia Post actually has its own freight forwarding system until early 2022. Right now, you can only choose from other companies with varying reputations and prices.This Choice.com.au The breakdown of freight forwarding services is well worth reading to understand the risks and assess which one is best for you.
Should you use this process to buy the Steam platform? We’d say probably not: this option is only for those who simply can’t wait and don’t mind the long process, potentially extended wait times, and extra costs involved. For everyone else, stay tuned: Steam Deck will release in Australia, but the exact timing is currently unknown.