- Valve recommits to Steam Machine launch in 2026
- There had previously been rumors of a delay until 2027.
- RAM crisis could still have an impact on retail prices
Valve has recommitted to releasing the Steam Machine during the course of 2026, after worrying that the RAM crisis could cause a delay, although it appears it could miss the original goal of getting the hardware to users before the end of March.
In a blog post on Friday, Valve had initially said that “we expect to ship in 2026” regarding the Steam Machine. That raised alarm bells for some and appeared to cast doubt on promises made to launch the device over the course of this year.
However, as The Verge reports, Valve has clarified that the Steam Machine will appear sometime this year. “Nothing has really changed on our end,” Valve PR representative Kaci Aitchison Boyle told The Verge.
The wording of the blog post was also updated accordingly, committing to the arrival of the Steam Machine in 2026, along with the Steam Frame wireless virtual reality headset and the Steam Controller that acts as an accessory for both.
Price to be confirmed
Confirmation that we’ll be getting the Steam Machine sometime in 2026 is absolutely welcome news, even if initial promises of an “early 2026” or first quarter (January, February, March) launch seem unlikely to be met at this point.
It’s clear that the current RAM shortage, driven by growing demand for AI data centers, has had an effect on all hardware manufacturers. Valve has already admitted that memory supply chain restrictions are affecting Steam Deck OLED stock levels.
It remains to be seen how this ultimately plays out in terms of Steam Machine availability and pricing. The console-style mini PC will come with 16GB of DDR5 RAM and 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, according to specifications previously released by Valve.
“More updates will be shared as we finalize our plans,” Valve explains, so watch this space. Last month, everything indicated that we would see the device in the first half of the year, as Valve announced that it would “review” its shipping schedule and pricing plans.
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