Valve revealed its lineup of upcoming hardware in November, including a home PC-gaming console called the Steam Machine and the Steam Frame, a VR headset. At the time of the reveal, the company expected to release its hardware in "early 2026," but the current state of memory and storage prices appears to have changed those plans.
Valve says its goal to release the Steam Frame and Steam Machine in the first half of 2026 has not changed, but it's still deliberating on final shipping dates and pricing, according to a post from the company on Wednesday. While the company didn't provide specifics, it said it was mindful of the current state of the hardware and storage markets. All kinds of computer components have rocketed in price due to massive investments in AI infrastructure.
"When we announced these products in November, we planned on being able to share specific pricing and launch dates by now. But the memory and storage shortages you've likely heard about across the industry have rapidly increased since then," Valve said. "The limited availability and growing prices of these critical components mean we must revisit our exact shipping schedule and pricing (especially around Steam Machine and Steam Frame)."
Valve says it will provide more updates in the future about its hardware lineup.
What are the Steam Frame and Steam Machine?
The Steam Frame is a standalone VR headset that's all about gaming. At the hardware reveal in November, CNET's Scott Stein described it as a Steam Deck for your face. It runs on SteamOS on an ARM-based chip, so games can be loaded onto the headset and played directly from it, allowing gamers to play games on the go. There's also the option to wirelessly stream games from a PC.
The Steam Machine is Valve's home console. It's a cube-shaped microcomputer intended to be connected to a TV.
When will the Steam Frame and Steam Machine come out?
Valve didn't provide a specific launch date for either. The initial expectation after the November reveal was that the Steam Frame and Steam Machine would arrive in March. Valve's statement about releasing its hardware in the first half of 2026 suggests both will come out in June at the latest.
How much will the Steam Frame and Steam Machine cost?
After the reveal, there was much speculation on their possible prices. For the Steam Frame, the expectation was that it would start at $600. The Steam Machine was expected to launch at a price closer to $700. Those estimates could easily increase by $100 or more due to the current state of pricing for memory and storage.
