The Steam Controller is already in the hands of at least some eager Valve fans, so the question of when the Steam Machine will launch or what it might cost feels more pertinent than ever. While those questions will continue to go unanswered, there are a couple of encouraging signs that an announcement may be imminent.
In early May, reports suggested that Valve received 50 tons of video game consoles over a couple of days. While there’s no way of knowing what was in the shipment, it seems reasonable to assume that the PC gaming company did not buy out the entire world’s supply of the Wii U. Considering it’s a small, console-sized piece of hardware, the weight suggests that Valve is stocking up on Steam Machines big time. Somewhere, a scalper just felt a shiver go down their spine.
More recently, data miners who keep track of backend Steam updates say that the storefront’s code now references four different Steam Machine models (and two models of the Steam Frame, Valve’s new VR headset). This data is seemingly attached to a reservation system, much like the one Valve used for its Steam Controller after it sold out at launch. That reservation system only required a couple of clicks — so purchasing a Steam Machine might be simple.
As for the number of models, much like the Steam Deck, we’re likely looking at a variety of storage options. Both the original Steam Deck and its OLED successor were offered with storage options ranging from 256 GB to 1 TB. Since the Steam Machine aims to be akin to a console, it needs to account for potentially huge file sizes for storing games. Valve could throw us a curveball, but so far, there’s no reason to believe the Steam Machine will debut with models that differ significantly in functionality. Some potential customers have speculated that Valve might also be selling the Steam Deck bundled with a Steam Controller, which could explain the variety of options.
Valve’s been hesitant to share specifics around pricing, but the general expectation is that the Steam Machine won’t be cheap. With increasing prices for PC parts, hardware with over 1 TB in storage will be especially steep, though Valve has said it wants the new Steam Machine to be “affordable.”
Until Valve makes an official announcement, we can only speculate.