Valve delays steam machine, controller, frame – again, 2027 looms

Valve's ambitious hardware dreams continue to fade further into the distance. The company has once again pushed back the release window for its Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame, potentially shelving them until 2027. After initial announcements late last year targeting a Q1 2026 launch, the reality of persistent component shortages has forced another significant shift in plans.

The ai shortage and price volatility

The initial delay in February was attributed to the ongoing AI-driven hardware shortage, which has sent PC component prices soaring. Valve’s struggle to lock in a viable price point for the Steam Machine and Steam Frame became increasingly apparent. While hopes remained for a mid-2025 release, the latest “Steam Year In Review 2025” blog post offers a far more pessimistic outlook, stating simply, “we hope to ship in 2026,” a phrasing that strongly suggests a 2027 arrival at best.

More than just a console? the price question

The Steam Machine, envisioned as a mid-tier, gaming-focused PC with a sleek, cube-like design and SteamOS, has always been shrouded in pricing mystery. Early speculation suggested a console-like $500 price tag, but Linus Sebastian of Linus Tech Tips quickly dismissed this notion after discussions with Valve staff. Lawrence Yang and Pierre-Loup Griffais later clarified that the expected price would align with building a comparable PC from individual components—a significant departure from the subsidized console model. This places the Steam Machine squarely in the $700-$800 range, considerably higher than the base PlayStation 5 ($549.99) and even the PlayStation 5 Pro ($749.99).

Valve remains steadfast in its refusal to subsidize the hardware, a decision that has drawn criticism, most notably from Larian Publishing director Michael Douse, who argued that Valve could be losing out on far more potential revenue than the $200 difference in price per unit. He called the decision