Video game trends are weird, and we aren't always talking about the genres that spawn seemingly out of nowhere, like Soulsbornes, Bullet hell, and Animal Simulators, just to name a few. Sometimes, it's the gamers themselves that engage in unique phenomena that defy explanations and, more often than not, capture the attention and imagination of the wider community. One such oddity has surfaced with the Steam Deck, Valve's handheld gaming PC. A growing number of users have developed a peculiar interest in the scent emanating from their Steam Deck's exhaust vent, leading to an unusual situation where Valve has had to step in and advise against this practice.
Since the release of the Steam Deck, there has been a surge in discussions among its owners about the intriguing smell produced by the device. Many have compared the aroma to various familiar scents, ranging from a new car to the fresh plastic of a PlayStation 1 controller (apparently, consoles have different and distinct smells, even those that belong to the same family). This peculiar interest in the Steam Deck's scent has become a widespread topic on the internet, with numerous posts and discussions on online platforms like Reddit and Twitter. Users have shared their experiences and observations, some even mourning the loss of the fresh hardware smell over time.
The phenomenon caught enough attention for a Reddit user, Metapod100, to reach out to Steam Support, inquiring if it's safe to inhaule the exhaust fumes from the Steam Deck's vent. This inquiry, prompted by the internet's fascination and the "meme" status that the smell had achieved, received a response from Valve that was both informative and cautionary.
