Valve warns people against breathing in fumes from Steam Deck the exhaust pipe

It's one of those strange technological stories of recent times, Steam Deck manufacturer Valve has asked people to quit breathing in the fumes emitted from the exhaust vent of the device.

The action has become a meme in recent weeks as the Steam Deck is prone to emit a certain smell from its insides, and taking a breath through the vent has become a common pastime for some users on social networks.

The handheld PC had to go through rigorous safety tests before going to market, inhaling hot air from inside the device is an issue that was not discussed at any design conference.

Dexerto says they have received a call from Valve Support was asked by an individual user "Is you able to breathe the exhaust fumes that come from the top vent inside the Steam Deck? It's sort of a meme to breathe in the exhaust, but I'm guessing I... like it?"

Valve's answer suggested it wasn't a great option in plain terms, stating "As as with any electronic device, it's generally not recommended that you breathe in the exhaust fumes from the device. Although there aren't any dangers associated with the general use of however, inhaling directly the exhaust fumes of your device should be avoided.

"We understand that it may be a popular meme, but we ask you to avoid this behavior for the safety of your health.

It is not known the cause of the smell, theories are abound on Reddit that the cause is heat of the plastic in the case rather than any internal component, like heat pastes or of the other interior metals or parts.

As with any warning, the flip side is usually that it draws many more to this issue. But sniffing fumes of any kind isn't always beneficial to your health, and using it for the sake of meme value is not something Valve thinks is a good idea.