SDHQ Project Update 4: 1 Month Later

Before I begin, let me just say -- WOW. Exactly one month ago SteamDeckHQ (SDHQ) went live and a post was made on Reddit. It got a lot of attention, almost 500 upvotes and over 100 comments. I had made the website using Squarespace with little website knowledge, but a passion for what I was doing. From that post, I met some of the most amazing people I’ve been working closely with to fully realize the potential of SDHQ.

Going Down Memory Lane:

In just one month, SDHQ’s website has been fully redesigned. Thanks to one of these amazing people I’ve met, Bitterjay, SDHQ was cleaned up, improved upon, and had features implemented that I had always wanted like Image Comparison sliders and a visual review queue. The information we provide through our game reviews has been streamlined and simplified.

SDHQ Main Page originally vs what it is now.

SDHQ Review page originally vs what it is now.

Through this growth, we have also brought in some reviewers into the team, Zeratul831, Mr Doc Jones, and Vanderjud - all of whom care about this project and are generously donating their time to help. We've doubled our game reviews with more being worked on at all times. 

The website has also been expanded to include news stories and written tips/guides. We have also included categories for the news so people can look back and filter which news they want to see. All of this while opening up the framework for future additions. All of this and the site currently sits at a little under 7K page hits.

SDHQ has also expanded into Twitter and gathered a following there. With a very active feed, and have gained over 270 followers in just 3 weeks. On Discord, our server has grown exponentially too. With more people joining in on the conversation every day, we're building a community for people like us who love the Deck, and are creating opportunities for engagement with weekly giveaways. It has been a wild ride so far.

The Current Trajectory:

All of this - in just the last 4 weeks. It’s been an insane roller coaster, but I feel we just started! With so much support and love rallying around this project it's only natural we start to look towards expanding even further to bring as much information and content as possible to our followers and to evolve SDHQ into a true Steam Deck Hub.

YouTube is expected to play a big part in SDHQ's identity. We are starting with Performance Overviews. These videos will showcase our reviews and builds. We think it's valuable to show the temperature differences, battery differences, and visual differences of each build so you can decide how you want to experience your favorite games. The assets for this have been made and videos will be coming within the next couple days.

As gamers, we want to find the best gear to enhance our experiences. Whether it’s a certain case, skin, dock, or carrying bag, accessories are a part of the experience of owning a Steam Deck. We have been so fortunate, in this short time, to be in communication with manufacturers willing to let us review their products and are being sent review copies of their incredible inventions for us to tinker with and give our opinions on. This will become especially important as more companies enter the Steam Deck accessory market, and we plan to keep up with it just as much as the games.

We are also workshopping Patreon and how that could be implemented and used fairly. This is an incredible project and we want to be able to dedicate our time to it, but we can’t do it alone. While there haven’t been any final decisions on the perks or amounts of the tiers, we will make sure that each one is fairly priced and the perks that are associated will be worthwhile.

What Does the Future Hold?

As we are expanding, we are thinking about the future and what it could hold. Our plans to grow don’t stop, we have ideas for Twitch, memberships, and new forms of content that can be not only enjoyed, but informative too. These plans are still in their infancy, so we can’t reveal much yet, but we do have a bigger picture in mind and are actively working towards that every day.

And that right there is a look at what the project was, what it is now, and what it can become in the future. If you know me, you know that I say thank you a lot. I like to show my appreciation so people know it isn’t being taken for granted. I made a promise to my team and I won’t say it as much because they know I appreciate them, but it’s happening regardless. Thank you, every single one of you, who have shown an outpouring of love and support for SDHQ. This project started with an idea, a dream, and through the last four weeks, it has become achievable thanks to every person, every follow, every click, and it means so much. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. The future is bright for SDHQ, and the dedication of myself, and my incredible team, will see it to fruition.