Valve really wants you to stop blowing Steam Deck exhaust fumes. Later. Maybe stop doing it if you are.
in December 12 post on Redditone Steam Deck user shared that they got the official ruling from Steam Support on whether “Safe for inhaling exhaust fumes” from the device. The user also explained in his help request that the practice had become a running joke among other Steam Deck owners. Three days later, Steam Support finally stopped the discussion.
“As with all electronic devices, breathing exhaust fumes on your device is generally not recommended,” the response said. “While there are no safety concerns with general use, you should avoid directly inhaling the fumes from the vent of the device. We understand that it may just be a meme, but please refrain from this behavior for the sake of your health.”
Regarding the aromatic basis for this decision, we do not find any reports confirming that inhaling hot air generated by portable electronic devices can lead to long-term negative effects. But that doesn’t mean that using your Steam Deck is guaranteed risk-free either.
Since the release of Steam Deck in February 2022, owners haven’t been shy about the fact that the vent fumes on their handheld gaming device have a strangely sick smell: a Reddit thread on r/steemdek 2 years ago reads: “Does anyone else with a steam deck like to smell the hot air blowing off the top of the deck?“Steam Deck patrons eagerly agreed, comparing the scent to “Walking into an old school movie” And “Mature plastic“.
What started out as a guilty pleasure for some Steam Deck owners quickly evolved into Viral meme. In the months since the device’s release, more and more players have begun to admit to taking sneaky gloats.
“I just inhaled new electronics fumes directly from the Steam Deck vent,” one user wrote on X/Twitter in June 2022.
I just inhaled the fumes of new electronics directly from the Steam Deck vent.
This is goooood shiiiiiiittttttt
-Lawrence Sontag (@SirLarr) June 21, 2022
“It’s gone. It’s gone, my friend. Like tears in the rain.” Reddit post, mourning the loss of the smell of fresh appliances. “13 months after opening it. One day – nice smell, number one in Japan, steady hand. Then – boom.”
Another user hypothesized that nostalgia is the root reason why they love the scent so much, explaining that the distinct smell reminds them of playing games in their childhood attic. The rationale doesn’t seem too far off base, given how deep we are The sense of smell is linked to the amygdalaAn area of the brain that processes emotions.
Then again, logic went out the window last year when news about this came out Nintendo Switch users have been licking their cartridgesI was surprised by its bitter flavour. A Nintendo representative later confirmed the discovery with IGN, explaining that the cartridges were coated with a non-toxic “bittering agent” called Denatonium Benzoate to reduce consumption.
In short, your controllers and accessories are for gaming – not for blowing, licking or nibbling.
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