Steam Controller Restock on the Horizon, Valve Implements Measures to Curb Reseller Purchases

The Steam Controller made its debut earlier this week, and within about half an hour, it was completely sold out, leaving many gamers frustrated and a wave of opportunistic resellers in its wake. In response, Valve is gearing up to restock and has introduced new measures to help ensure that genuine fans can snag one of these controllers in the near future.

The launch on May 4 was a bit chaotic, reminiscent of many high-demand tech releases. Gamers attempting to purchase the $100 controller faced error messages, a lagging Steam store, and ultimately learned that it was sold out. Shortly after, resellers on platforms like eBay were listing the gamepad for $300 or more, which is far from ideal. To address this, Valve has rolled out a multi-faceted plan aimed at streamlining the purchasing process.

Starting tomorrow, May 8, Valve will initiate a reservation queue for the Steam Controller. Once you secure a spot in line, your reservation will be held. When the controller is back in stock, order emails will be dispatched to those who reserved in the order they signed up.

To curb reseller activity, Valve is implementing new restrictions on reservations and purchases. Moving forward, each person can only reserve one Steam Controller. If you’ve already purchased one, you won’t be able to reserve another just yet. After receiving your order email, you’ll have three days to complete the purchase or forfeit your spot. Additionally, you must have a Steam account in “good standing” and have made a purchase on that account before April 27, 2026, to be eligible to reserve and buy the controller.

“We will start fulfilling reservations next week in the US and Canada, followed by the UK, EU, and Australia in the weeks after,” Valve stated.

The company acknowledged the overwhelming demand, saying, “The Steam Controller ran out faster than we anticipated, and we hate that not everyone who wanted one was able to get it.”