While the gaming community remains in a holding pattern regarding news of the Steam Machine and Steam Frame, Valve is currently navigating a surge in popularity for its latest hardware release: the Steam Controller. Despite the enthusiasm, the company is struggling to keep pace with overwhelming demand, leading to a situation where some customers may be waiting until 2027 to receive their units.
On Thursday, Valve announced that their reservation system has been updated to provide clearer, more realistic shipping estimates. “We have no intention of discontinuing the Steam Controller. However, in light of current demand versus our projected production capacity for the remainder of the year, we want to proactively manage expectations regarding order fulfillment,” the company stated in a recent community update.
Reservations will now reflect specific delivery windows based on current supply chain throughput. Valve has categorized these into three distinct shipping phases:
- By September 2026
- By December 2026
- 2027
Valve maintains that the 2027 timeline is a conservative estimate; there is a possibility that inventory levels could improve, allowing some customers to receive their orders sooner than projected. Nevertheless, current demand is so high that active reservations are already hitting the 2027 shipping bracket.
The $99 controller launched in May and saw an immediate sell-out. Valve admitted to underestimating consumer interest, quickly pivotting to a reservation-based model to handle the influx of orders. While the controller itself isn’t hampered by the typical supply shortages seen with RAM or chipsets, the tech industry is still contending with soaring costs for printed circuit boards, a byproduct of current geopolitical instability in the Middle East. Despite the challenging manufacturing climate, the Steam Controller continues to earn high praise for its refined design and build quality.
The Steam Controller is so close to being the perfect PC gamepad
Valve’s second attempt at a dedicated controller is a seamless fit for the Steam ecosystem, though it remains a niche tool.
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Source: Polygon
