It’s been some time, full of speculation, since Valve announced its new hardware lineup: Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and Steam Frame. The Steam Controller launched last May for $99. Today, after months of speculation by the gaming community on what the date and price of the Steam Machine will be, Valve has announced that the Steam Machine will release on June 30, with a $1,049.00 entry price with the 512GB Steam Machine. The full prices and bundles are as follows:
- Steam Machine 512GB: $1,049 USD / 1,509 CAD / 1,039 EUR / 879 GBP / 1,609 AUD / 4,389 PLN
- Bundle: Steam Machine 512GB + Steam Controller: $1,128 USD / 1,628 CAD / 1,108 EUR / 938 GBP / 1,728 AUD / 4,698 PLN
- Steam Machine 2TB: $1,349 USD / 1,919 CAD / 1,359 EUR / 1,149 GBP / 2,109 AUD / 5,739 PLN
- Bundle: Steam Machine 2TB + Steam Controller: $1,428 USD / 2,038 CAD / 1,428 EUR / 1,208 GBP / 2,228 AUD / 6,048 PLN
- Both the Steam Machine 2TB and 2TB bundle options come with two additional faceplates: red fabric and solid walnut.
In the announcement post by Valve, the team reveals that these costs are a result of the current price of the components used to build this hardware. RAM and Storage specifically are the ones that are more affecting these prices, which, according to Valve, wasn’t the original planned price: “our original goal for the price of Steam Machine is no longer viable.” Price and release date for the Steam Frame were not announced. According to IGN, the original price goal for the Steam Machine was $749; “Some quick napkin math pins that Steam Deck price increase at around 35-36% above the handheld’s original $549 asking price, resulting in the new price of $789. If you do the same math for a hypothetical $749 pre-RAMflation Steam Machine, that would make the final $1049 price about 33% more expensive.”
This time, however, Valve is implementing a reservation system to prevent resellers. They detail it as follows:
- “Starting right now, you can sign up for the Steam Machine model/bundle you’re interested in.
- If you’re busy now, no problem: You can sign up anytime before Thursday, June 25 at 10 a.m. Pacific.
- At that time, we will close signups and do a one-time randomization to determine the reservation and waitlist order.
- Based on the reservation order, you will receive an email on June 25 indicating one of two things:
- You’ve been added to the reservation queue and a Steam Machine has been reserved in your name. As units become available for shipment, people in the reservation queue will receive an email with the option to purchase.
- We’ll send the first batch of those starting Monday June 29, and will continue to go through the reservation queue as units become available.
- You’ve been added to the waitlist, and we’ll let you know when more units become available.”
What do you think of the Steam Machine prices? Will you be picking one up? Let us know in the comments below, and for more Valve hardware news, stay tuned to GameObserver.
