Apparently, people can’t get enough of sniffing the fumes off of their Steam Decks, which they say smell nice. Valve has then become aware of this and asks Steam Deck owners to stop doing so. Read on to learn more.
Sniffing Steam Deck Fumes is the New Trend
Apparently the Fumes Smell Great
It seems that people can’t get enough of sniffing the supposedly fragrant smell of the fumes emitted from Steam Deck vents. If you don’t believe me, just look up the Steam Deck subreddit and search "smell." If you do just that, you’ll find various different posts about it where people are discovering that it smells "great," and fans asking Valve to release Steam Deck scented candles or perfume.
Another Reddit user named Nnamz pointed out that the new Steam Deck OLED doesn’t smell as good as the original. He explained, "It's missing that rich, textured factory smell of the original. Instead the smell is sweeter, cheaper, and does not have me coming back for more." Many people seem to agree, with the post receiving 366 upvotes and 120 comments in just a little over two weeks. The top comment affirms Nnamz’ claims, saying, "its true its like a diet version of the og smell."
Steam Says Stop
A reddit user by the name of Metapod100 shared a screenshot of their conversation with Steam Support regarding the safety of sniffing the fumes. Metapod100 asked Steam, "Is it safe to inhale the exhaust fumes from the top of the Steam Deck Vent? It's somewhat of a meme to enjoy the fumes but I think I kinda... like it?" Sandler from Steam Support responded saying that they understand that the sniffing may be a meme, but "It is generally not recommended you inhale the exhaust fumes on your device. While there are no safety concerns with general usage, directly inhaling the device’s vent fumes should be avoided." They conclude by asking the user to refrain from doing that for their own health and safety.
While Steam Support’s warning probably won’t stop everyone from sniffing the enticing aromatic fumes, it’s worth noting that it’s not exactly the most healthy habit.
Regardless, once I get my hands on my own Steam Deck, I know what I’m going to do first.
Sources:
Valve asks Steam Deck owners to not smell vent fumes
I asked Valve about sniffing the vent and…
