Valve made the steam deck to encourage other device makers to follow suite.

They're trying to bootstrap a new market segment. They don't actually want to be a hardware company. They want to sell games. Lots, and lots of games.

They're providing all they can to help other manufacturers come onboard, so they can sell games, and make wads of sweet cash.

They never hid it. They were clear about it from the start.

The deck is a proof of concept for the industry to follow.