It is arduous to imagine that I’m writing this text proper now, however right here I’m! 2 years in the past on today, SteamDeckHQ went dwell, and it has been busy. Because of the unbelievable neighborhood and people who assist us, we’ve got been in a position to do issues we’ve got solely dreamed about. All of us admire it, and as for myself, I’m utterly blown away by what we’ve got achieved in such a short while. We have now been in a position to obtain issues it may take years and years for others to get the prospect to do, particularly in case you are beginning recent within the online game business like we’re, and ultimately, it’s all because of you guys.
And ensure to observe us on Twitter/X, as we will probably be freely giving some video games, together with Kingdom Hearts and presumably the upcoming Elden Ring enlargement: Shadow of the Erdtree.
How SteamDeckHQ Started
On June 18, 2022, SteamDeckHQ first went dwell. It was an concept I got here up with after seeing YouTubers and different websites like Sharedeck and ProtonDB deal with Steam Deck setting suggestions. I used to be dissatisfied that some YouTubers and shops declare the “Finest Settings” for a sport when the framerates would not stabilize and the battery would drain too quick. Sharedeck and ProtonDB, alternatively, may have teams of various settings which may obtain the specified outcomes I wished, however there was no correct vetting. Lots of the settings I discovered, at first, have been showcased with outcomes that weren’t achievable.
I wished to see a spot that mixed these two concepts however did all of it transparently, giving all the knowledge somebody would wish to see, and that is what SteamDeckHQ did. I created a web site that might give a number of totally different settings specializing in issues like battery life, framerate, and visible high quality whereas all having it examined beneath one trusted individual. On prime of that, we’d present screenshots with the MangoHUD statistics so we are able to present precisely the type of efficiency you may anticipate with every of the settings.
I began off attempting to create my web site utilizing Squarespace, and in comparison with how the location appears now, it is rather barebones. I posted concerning the web site on r/SteamDeck, and an internet developer, Shelby, took an curiosity. We began speaking, and he determined to assist us out! The present model of the web site is in-built WordPress, and due to him, we’ve got such a gorgeous-looking web site that’s straightforward to navigate. Shelby remains to be with us, too, which is wonderful as a result of he’s extraordinarily proficient, and we will broaden the web site additional along with his assist.
As we grew, I introduced in a good friend of mine, AJ, to assist with enterprise. This allowed me to proceed specializing in reviewing and increasing our operations to not solely overview new video games but additionally cowl Steam Deck-related information.
And from there, we had all of the items to start our journey. I had no concept the place it might take us, however I positively could not have anticipated what we achieved in such a short while.
What We Have Achieved So Far
I began SteamDeckHQ hoping that like-minded folks may discover some use for it, but it surely expanded far more than I anticipated. Concerning web site site visitors, we went from 10,000-30,000 month-to-month views at first to over 1 million month-to-month views in 5 months. This blew my thoughts and made me notice simply how a lot we have been serving to folks (or those that simply actually wished Steam Deck data). We additionally jumped from round 8,000 month-to-month customers to over 500,000 presently, which is nuts!
In July of 2023, I additionally had the unbelievable alternative to go full-time with SteamDeckHQ, which is totally nuts. We have now additionally grown from simply 1 author (me) to 2 others becoming a member of us (Oliver and TheThousandScar). This enables us to cowl extra content material, do extra sport evaluations, and pump out intriguing items we won’t wait to unveil.
On the social media facet, I began the Twitter/X account, hoping to get 3 followers a day. That was my objective, and for essentially the most half, I hit it. Then, the ball continued, and now we’ve got over 26,000 followers! For those who embody all of our social media, we’ve got over 40,000 followers/subscribers, blowing my thoughts even additional.
We have now been fortunate sufficient to work with wonderful corporations as effectively, and with the ability to overview their video games has been a dream come true. In 2023, we began working extra with corporations and getting a few of their video games on launch day, whereas in 2024, we began to get pre-release copies to extra precisely overview and optimize video games to offer correct info on the day they’re launched. I do not suppose anybody can declare to know one of the best/optimized settings for a sport ON launch day until they’ve acquired a pre-release copy since you may’t play by all the sport that shortly.
Kingdom Hearts 3 is an effective instance of this. The early elements of the sport run a lot better than a few of the later areas. Particularly, the Kingdom of Corona and the Pirates of the Caribbean world are tougher to run than the remainder of the sport, and so they take a little bit of time to achieve.
Thanks to all of the PR individuals who have helped us. We could not have had any of those alternatives with out them; they’ve been form {and professional} with us. Everybody we’ve got met within the business has been extraordinarily good, pleasant, real, and passionate. For those who see or work together with a journalist or developer, simply know there is not any means you might do that job with out really loving video video games and the business.
On prime of this, we’ve got been given insane alternatives to cowl occasions! In 2023, we acquired to go to PAX East and Gamescom, each of which have been desires of mine. This 12 months, we expanded that. Not solely did we go to PAX East, however we have been additionally invited to GDC and Summer time Sport Fest, which have been each unbelievable! Summer time Sport Fest, particularly, was a tremendous occasion, and I’m honored to be invited to be counted amongst essentially the most prestigious media shops and creators that had this chance. Our 12 months is not over but, and we’ll go to Gamescom in two months. I may also be attempting to go to the Tokyo Sport Present on prime of that (simply ready for an e mail affirmation).
As I discussed, this was all achieved in two years by somebody with out prior expertise within the business. Earlier than this, I managed film theatres and a CVS Pharmacy, so going from that to now being a journalist within the sport business who’s working an organization has been a BIG change and studying expertise for me. It has all been wonderful, although, and extremely, we’ve got come this far. Whereas loads of work has been achieved on our finish, because of this unbelievable neighborhood that reads our work and interacts with us on Twitter/X, Reddit, YouTube, Discord, and our different social media.
Once more, thanks for your whole assist.
What Comes Subsequent?
Effectively, SteamDeckHQ has been quickly rising quicker than I may have anticipated, and whereas we’ve got loads we wish to do, we’re nonetheless determining the right way to do it.
The most important adjustments we will probably be making shifting ahead are movies. We have now been in talks with a few editors who may help us with movies, together with Hello-Tech-Lo-Life. We plan to broaden our video content material with sport evaluations/previews, opinion items (Why we’d like a Steam Machine Now!), bundle roundups, and extra. We see how necessary movies are and wish to push them. We have now been testing the waters with some video content material just lately, with the most important being Ghost of Tsushima, and we plan to convey out extra as we solidify our pipeline to make sure optimum video creation.
We additionally began a podcast and have a number of plans for it! It’s on a small hiatus whereas I traveled for Summer time Sport Fest, however we will probably be again with a brand new episode subsequent week. We have now concepts for extra podcast episodes and different collection, so keep tuned for these bulletins!
I’ve additionally been placing collectively some distinctive concepts to begin dwell streaming on Twitch or YouTube. I wished to search out methods to make streaming fascinating as an alternative of simply exhibiting gameplay and speaking about it. There are about 2-3 totally different concepts, with 1 particularly being totally fleshed out. We’ll do dwell streaming weekly as quickly as we determine issues out. Will probably be taking place as soon as every week to begin, however as we proceed, we’ll almost definitely improve it to 2-3 occasions weekly.
There are extra initiatives within the works that I can not speak about a lot but, however there’s loads within the works proper now, and we’re so excited to point out off what we’re doing.
In Conclusion
We’re engaged on a lot, and considering that I might be right here two years in the past is insane. I’m blown away that we are able to overview video video games, go to gigantic occasions to cowl them as press, and be one of many largest shops protecting the Steam Deck. We’re honored to have these alternatives, and I’m nonetheless in full shock that we may even go to Summer time Sport Fest this 12 months. That is a really unique occasion, and I’m honored to be one of many folks invited to go.
Once more, although, the one cause we have been in a position to do all of that is due to you. We will not thanks all sufficient for studying, interacting, recommending, and watching all of our content material. It means a lot to us right here, and it regularly blows me away to see everybody who involves the location. It stuns me day by day to see simply what we’re in a position to do due to you, and I can not thanks all sufficient.
Thanks once more for your whole assist. We will not wait to showcase what we’ve got arising and proceed to reply your whole questions on which video games run on the Steam Deck.
For those who loved this text, take a look at the remainder of the content material on SteamDeckHQ! We have now all kinds of sport evaluations and information that may assist your gaming expertise. Whether or not you are searching for information, ideas and tutorials, sport settings and evaluations, or simply wish to keep up-to-date on the newest tendencies, we have you coated!
