TECH NEWS – Valve’s PC is no longer far from release, but at some point the company will have to say how expensive the device will be.
Over the past few weeks, several signs have suggested that the release of the Steam Machine is now very close. The latest sign came directly from Valve in the newest SteamOS 3.8.9 beta update, which only makes the silence surrounding the console’s price even louder, especially after the significant price increase for the Steam Deck. Over the weekend, Valve released the new SteamOS 3.8.9 Beta: Second Clutch version, which includes new fixes and features still being tested. For those waiting for the Steam Machine, the most significant change is the addition of initial support for the upcoming Steam Machine hardware. Unfortunately, we do not know what this initial support means, but it suggests that the system’s release may be only a few weeks away, as was also hinted earlier this month by the addition of the Welcome Tour to the Steam backend.
The Steam Machine makes up only one-third of Valve’s 2026 hardware lineup, since the company also launched a new Steam Controller last month and is currently preparing to release the Steam Frame VR headset. Like the Steam Machine, the VR headset was supposed to launch earlier this year, but its release was delayed because of rising component prices affecting the entire game industry, especially RAM. Although no official information has yet been announced about the release date of the Steam Frame, insider Brad Lynch said a few days ago that the first shipments had arrived at Valve’s U.S. warehouses, suggesting that preparations for the upcoming launch are already underway.
With so many signs pointing to the approaching release of both the Steam Machine and the Steam Frame, the silence around pricing is actually telling. Back in November, players were excited about Valve’s 2026 hardware lineup, but the situation quickly deteriorated when RAMmageddon began, driving up RAM prices, followed by price increases for SSDs and other components. The effect was immediately felt everywhere. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all raised the prices of their consoles, just as Valve did with the Steam Deck. In March, the internal price of the Steam Machine exceeded the current $949 price of the Steam Deck OLED, suggesting that the system will launch at a very high price, which will affect its appeal.
However, since the Steam Deck OLED also sold out quickly after release, the Steam Machine and Steam Frame may still have successful launches, although a queue system may genuinely be needed to stop scalpers from buying up the initial stock, even if prices end up far higher than expected.
