When Steam Machine launched
Steam Machine officially launched on June 30, 2026, with the first units shipping out that week. That came several months later than the original timeline hinted at when Valve first revealed the hardware in November 2025 — the delay was largely tied to the memory and component price spikes that also pushed up the final retail price.
Why you couldn't just buy one on day one
Rather than a normal open preorder, Valve ran a reservation system to manage demand and cut down on scalping. Interested buyers had until June 25, 2026 to join a waitlist, which required an active Steam account in good standing with a purchase history predating April 27, 2026 — a deliberate hurdle meant to filter out resellers and bots.
After the window closed, Valve randomized the order of everyone who signed up, splitting people into a reservation queue and a general waitlist. People in the reservation queue started getting purchase invitation emails the week of June 29, with 72 hours to complete the purchase before it passed to the next person in line. Valve said it would keep sending invitations in waves throughout the rest of 2026 as more stock became available.
What this means if you want one now
If you missed the original registration window, availability depends entirely on Valve's ongoing invitation waves and general retail stock as production catches up with demand. There's no fixed "back in stock" date — it's an ongoing rollout rather than a single launch event.
Check current availability
See what's currently available, including configuration and pricing, on our Steam Machine page.