Pray to RNG gods
According to Valve, the worldwide shortage of memory and storage isn’t just a problem for prices. The company was, at times, unable to get the parts it needed to build Steam Machines at any price, which has impacted the number of machines it has available. That won’t be a surprise to anyone who has been trying to snag a Steam Deck in 2026, but it means you won’t be able to just buy a Steam Machine on a whim.
To combat resellers and keep things fair, Valve will use a randomized reservation setup. There’s no way for anyone to guarantee they will get a Steam Machine in the first batch, but this ensures people with super-fast connections and bot armies won’t be able to vacuum up all the units.
If you want to try your luck, just sign up for a reservation before Thursday, June 25, at 10 am Pacific. Valve says anyone with a valid Steam account who has made any purchase before April 27, 2026, is allowed to place a reservation, but there’s a limit of one per household.
Once reservations close, all the sign-ups will undergo a one-time randomization to create the final waitlist order. Later on June 25, Valve will send out emails to all reservation holders with the results. If the RNG gods are kind, the email will report you’re in the “Reservation queue,” meaning a Steam Machine in the initial batch is allocated and will ship as soon as it’s ready. Alternatively, the email will tell you that you’ve been added to the waitlist, and Valve will get in touch when future batches are manufactured.
The lucky winners of Valve’s lottery will have the privilege of paying $1,049 for a Steam Machine, but even then, you may have to wait. Valve says the first orders should go out on June 29, and it will continue shipping them as units are ready.
