Steam Controller launch fuels fears of chaotic Steam Machine rollout

After the chaotic Steam Controller sales launch, concern is growing that the Steam Machine rollout could also turn into a frustrating game of chance. Reddit user u/Kintaro75 asked how best to buy Valve’s new hardware once orders go live. So far, however, nobody has a concrete answer, as Valve has not yet revealed how Steam Machine sales will work. The key question: will there be a queue like with the Steam Deck, or will buyers simply have to log in, refresh and hope, as with the Steam Controller?

The Steam Controller launch showed what can happen when a highly sought-after product goes on sale without a regulated reservation system. Buyers reported payment errors, shopping cart issues and overloaded store pages. Demand for the Steam Machine is expected to be even higher than for the Steam Controller. If Valve does not use a queue system, the launch of the eagerly awaited living-room PC could end in chaos. There are also concerns that the Steam Machine could sell out quickly. Valve may have recently imported around 50 tons of consoles into the US, but mathematically speaking, that amounts to only about 20,000 units.

The Steam Controller launch offers clear lessons: anyone who wants to order at launch should log in early, prepare a payment method or Steam credit and keep an eye on the product page before sales officially begin – regardless of whether Valve uses a proper queue system. Still, nothing is guaranteed. As the Steam Controller launch showed, even having an item in the shopping cart apparently does not guarantee a completed order.