The Steam Controller launched last week and sold out in less than 30 minutes. As expected, eBay listings went live shortly after, with the peripheral marked up by hundreds of dollars. Valve has since implemented a queue system for Steam Controller orders, and if a recent rumor is true, the company will do the same for the upcoming Steam Machine.
As Wccftech reports, a new leak suggests that Valve is bringing back the reservation queue system—the same one used for the Steam Deck’s launch. That alone is interesting, but the leak also suggests how many versions of the PC/console hybrid we should expect.
For those who don’t know, the reservation queue is tied to a vetted Steam account. By requiring a purchase history or a verified account, Valve can prevent scalpers from using thousands of burner bots to swarm checkout pages. Those who’ve had active Steam accounts for an unspecified amount of time will get priority on the line. Anyone trying to flip a console on eBay for a 300% markup will be out of luck.
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One of the more interesting details from this alleged leak is that there will be four distinct models. Valve has confirmed 512GB and 2TB models, but we can make educated guesses about the other two. As Wccftech notes, one could have 1TB of storage, while the other could be a bundle with the Steam Controller. I agree with this assessment.
The big question about the Steam Machine is its price. Given the ongoing RAM crisis, it’s safe to assume Valve is waiting as long as possible before revealing the official cost. If the company can keep prices in the $599 to $899 range, it would certainly undercut the PS5 Pro, which now costs $899 after PS5 price hikes.
Given the unofficial nature of this story, please take it with a healthy dose of skepticism. We’ll keep you updated on any further developments, so stay tuned for more!
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