Valve Debuts the New Steam Controller, But the Steam Machine Appears Further Away Than Ever
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Valve is launching its new Steam Controller on May 4, but ongoing component shortages mean the Steam Machine and Steam Frame are facing indefinite delays.
Valve is moving forward with its hardware rollout, but the missing pieces are raising plenty of questions across the community. Back in November, Valve gave us a triple threat by announcing the Steam Controller, the Steam Machine console, and the Steam Frame VR headset all at once. Now, the Steam Controller is officially ready to roll with orders opening on May 4. Early hands-on impressions suggest Valve has crafted a seriously impressive PC gamepad. However, the Steam Machine and Steam Frame are nowhere to be found, and Valve has gone quiet on their release status.
The reason for the split launch comes down to simple manufacturing realities. Valve hardware engineer Steve Cardinali explained to Polygon that the controller lacks RAM, making it straightforward to price, build, and ship without running into the supply chain bottlenecks plaguing the tech industry. The ongoing global shortage of computer memory and storage hit the Steam Machine and Steam Frame hard earlier this year. While component costs have stopped climbing quite as aggressively, prices have not dropped either. Launching a full living room PC rig right now would mean facing either severe inventory shortages or a painful price tag that could alienate players.
Releasing the controller on its own makes smart logistical sense, but it does not paint an encouraging picture for the rest of the hardware family. Hitting the original goal of shipping all three devices in the first half of the year now looks completely off the table. As Polygon points out, splitting the launch suggests that Valve either faces a significant delay for the console or simply cannot pin down a stable price point in the current market. For players waiting to bring a Steam ecosystem into the living room, the wait is going to be much longer than expected. You can read the original reporting over at Polygon.
Tags: Valve, Steam Machine, Steam Controller, PC Gaming, Hardware
Original article: Polygon