Valve reuploads Steam Deck trailer after accidentally showcasing Yuzu Nintendo Switch emulator logo

Amidst its growing popularity, Valve released a brand new Steam Deck promotional video for its latest portable PC. However, eagle-eyed fans spotted a curious thumbnail in one of the video segments that seemed out of place: the Nintendo Switch emulator known as Yuzu. Someone messed up big time on this one.

After the tidbit blew up in popularity, the PC games publisher swiftly took down the original video and reuploaded it with a slight edit. The original version is now private on Valve's channel and the fresh trailer replaces Yuzu with a Portal 2 thumbnail. Too bad that this goof-up has been immortalized forever on the internet now.

---

Why is this a big deal for Valve and the Steam Deck?

Yuzu is one of the few commercially available Nintendo Switch emulators. For those uninitiated with the term, an emulator is a software that, as the name suggests, emulates the working of a specific piece of hardware in a virtual format. To put it simply, Yuzu would make your PC believe that it is a Nintendo Switch, thus allowing users to run Nintendo Switch software, including games on it.

While the emulation of a console is perfectly legal, the distribution of its games is not. Given that it is impossible to regulate Nintendo Switch game files from an official standpoint, we enter a morally gray area here.

Considering that the Nintendo Switch is still very much a relevant and popular console, having an emulator on what's basically a competitor in the handheld space can send the wrong message to players as well as to Nintendo, as a business partner. They helped bring the two portal games to Nintendo’s hybrid portable after all.

So, it is fairly obvious that Valve would not want that kind of heat on their hands. Denizens of the internet find this situation humorous considering that the Steam Deck is perfectly capable of emulating the Nintendo Switch. So, this kind of seems like an obvious fit.

After all, the modularity of the Steam Deck enables players to install any software they want. This freedom also means that they can go beyond official means, including emulation, something that Valve's portable PC is a haven for, given the number of varied game console emulators out there.

The trailer itself focuses on new improvements made to the system in terms of user experience as well as the availability of the docking station. Additionally, it has been revealed that players no longer need to place reservations to be able to order a Steam Deck. Are you getting one?