New Leak Reveals Four Purchase Options for Steam Machines, Including Scalper Protection Measures
Valve’s rocky experience with the Steam Controller launch, where scalpers snatched up units in less than 30 minutes, prompted the company to revamp its restock strategy. This change, however, also led savvy code hunters to uncover details about the upcoming Steam Machine. Reports indicate that this new SteamOS mini-PC will launch with four different SKUs, along with measures aimed at thwarting scalpers from monopolizing pre-orders.
After the May 4 launch of the Steam Controller, Valve announced a new approach for future restocks. This includes a registration queue for orders, a limit of one purchase per person, and a requirement for a Steam account in “good standing” that has made purchases prior to April 27, 2026. These steps are designed to curb scalpers looking to profit from the highly coveted controller. Code analysis of the store page revealed references to the upcoming Steam Machine, Valve’s compact gaming PCs intended for living room use, and confirmed that there will be four purchasing options available.
Valve has already hinted at launching what many consider a spiritual successor to the Nintendo GameCube, with two models: a 512GB version and a 2TB version. This accounts for two of the purchasing options, but the other two remain a mystery. It’s likely these could be bundles that include the new Steam Controller, as they are designed to complement each other and were probably meant to launch together. However, it’s intriguing to speculate on what else might be included, especially if the Controller ends up being offered separately.
A 512GB Steam Machine seems underwhelming, as it barely accommodates three new AAA titles. For instance, Forza Horizon 6 is expected to take up nearly 160GB, while some Call of Duty games have reached sizes of 250GB. It’s disappointing that this option exists, suggesting that the unknown pricing of the Steam Machine could be quite steep if they’re cutting corners on storage for a lower-tier model. The 2TB option makes sense, but a hypothetical 1TB model would be more appealing, as it would provide enough space for several games without the constant hassle of managing storage.
It’s unlikely there will be any significant technical variations among the launch models, as Valve has confirmed that all Steam Machines will feature 16GB of DDR5 and 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, along with a “semi-custom” AMD CPU and GPU. So, expect to see those Controllers included.
On a positive note, it appears the Steam Machine will also benefit from similar anti-scalper measures as the Controller, although it’s unclear how many of these will carry over. Some might argue that requiring a Steam account with prior purchases could be an odd barrier for newcomers to PC gaming, but limiting purchases is definitely necessary.
As of now, the price of the Steam Machine remains a mystery, as does its release date. This is shaping up to be a significant hardware year for Valve, with the anticipated VR headset, the Steam Frame, also expected to debut sometime in 2026, and mentioned in the website code as well.
