Steam Machine sold out in Asia despite high price, as Valve store skips reservations

The reaction to the Steam Machine price reveal has been overwhelmingly negative. That has made some fans wonder if demand for the mini PC will be softer than expected. However, in Asia, its release date has already arrived, with the console alternative selling out at the Valve-affiliated Komodo Station.

Stock vanished as soon as it appeared

The retailer that serves Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong is handling orders differently. Instead of the reservation queue used in other regions, the gaming system suddenly went on sale on June 22nd. Not long after the site updated, Redditors like Rhoiyds reported that all stock had disappeared.

Frustrated gamers slammed the storefront on its social media account. Other followers are surprised that, with the intimidating Steam Machine price, it sold out. In Japan, the cost of the mini PC ranges from 189,980 yen for the 512GB version without a controller to 264,980 yen for the 2TB model. That converts to $1,176 to $1,640, which is even higher than what U.S. customers will pay.

At first, it seems that Asian buyers are at a disadvantage. Still, in most cases, prices in these countries include taxes. When considering the added expense, the final totals are very similar. Yet the SteamOS cube faces the same criticisms of offering poor value compared to consoles like the PS5.

Cost comparisons

On Amazon Japan, ysmt4848 assembled a parts list featuring an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU, an RX 9060 XT GPU, and the same storage and memory capacities as the 2TB Steam Machine specs. Even with some superior components, the custom gaming PC would be about $93 cheaper.

PlayStation supporters may have more reason to gloat. A Steam Machine review by Digital Foundry showed that, in many games, the PS5 delivers superior performance. The digital slim version of the console costs $599, much less than the $1049 entry-level price of Valve’s candidate.

If the hardware proves popular regardless, buyers in North America and Europe may at least avoid drama. Unlike at Komodo Station, a reservation system will contact registered buyers with order links as stock allows.