Overview
- Valve updated its reservation system on Thursday to show three estimated order windows: by September 2026, by December 2026, or in 2027.
- The company says reservations made now are likely to be fulfilled in 2027 and that it will email customers when their turn arrives.
- Customers notified that a controller is available have 72 hours to complete the purchase or they lose their place in the queue, and no deposit is required to hold a reservation.
- Valve attributes the backlog to a wider component and memory shortage that has tightened production capacity as demand for AI-related silicon and other parts rose.
- The controller delay is part of broader hardware pauses for Valve, which is continuing software updates and limited imports while it manages production and has not set sale dates for Steam Machine or Steam Frame.