Steam Machine goes on sale with a reservation system and higher prices

Valve opened signups for Steam Machine on June 22, 2026, offering the living-room PC in four configurations. The 512GB model is priced at $1,049, while the 2TB version costs $1,349; both are also available in bundles with the Steam Controller at $1,128 and $1,428. Prices are inclusive of VAT where applicable, and the 2TB options ship with two extra faceplates — red fabric and solid walnut.

Component costs reshaped the launch

Valve says the price it originally targeted is no longer viable. The company began sourcing parts for Steam Machine in 2023, when the long-standing trend was for PC hardware to get cheaper over time. Over the past year that changed quickly, most visibly for RAM and storage, and the published prices now reflect the components Valve secured over the past six months.

Availability was affected as well. There were periods when some components could not be sourced at any price, which Valve says limited the number of units it could produce for launch more than anything else.

How the reservation queue works

To limit resellers and improve the purchase experience, Valve replaced the usual first-come-first-served scramble with a randomized reservation system. Signups close on Thursday, June 25 at 10 a.m. Pacific, after which a one-time randomization sets the reservation and waitlist order. Customers will receive an email on June 25 telling them whether they are in the reservation queue or on the waitlist.

Buyers in the reservation queue have a unit reserved in their name and receive a purchase link as units become available, starting the week of June 29 and continuing through the remainder of the year; each offer is valid for 72 hours. Signups are limited to one per household and require a Steam account in good standing plus a purchase made before April 27, 2026. Separate lists exist for North America, the United Kingdom and European Union, and Australia. Anyone signing up after the deadline goes to the back of the waitlist.

Not a console, Valve says

Valve argues that Steam Machine is an extension of PC gaming rather than a console. The company notes that the traditional console model sells hardware at a loss and recoups the money through subscriptions or games locked to the device, and that it prefers open ecosystems. It also points to SteamOS 3.8, which lets users run the same software stack on their own living-room PC. In Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong orders go through Komodo, Valve's regional distributor; the device will not ship in South Korea.