Valve acknowledges higher-than-expected demand for Steam Controllers and will be restocking soon.

Not even Valve anticipated the overwhelming demand for its new PC gamepad, the Steam Controller. On Monday, Valve opened up orders for this nearly flawless PC controller, but the Steam platform struggled to handle the surge in traffic, leading to the Steam Controller selling out within just an hour of its launch.

For those eager to snag a new Steam Controller, it’s best to avoid eBay and the inflated prices set by scalpers. Valve has announced that it is actively working on restocking the Steam Controller and will provide updates on availability soon.

“Steam Controller ran out faster than we anticipated, and we hate that not everyone who wanted one was able to get it,” Valve stated in a message shared on its social media. “We’re working on getting more in stock and will have an update on expected timeline soon.”

While it may take some time before the Steam Controller is back on shelves, it’s reassuring to see Valve communicating about the situation.

Valve’s latest controller is a perfect fit for Steam, but don’t expect it to work elsewhere.

The high demand might be partly due to the controller’s price point: at $99, the Steam Controller is pricier than most first-party controllers from competitors like Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony. However, considering the quality, the price is justifiable. As noted in a review, Valve’s second attempt at a controller designed specifically for Steam games marks a significant improvement.

“I can’t imagine playing my PC games with anything else,” one reviewer remarked. “With its more familiar design, excellent ergonomics, and seamless Steam connectivity, Valve has finally shown that its quirky first draft had potential; it just needed the right tweaks. The final product still has room for improvement, much like the Steam Deck, but Valve has successfully created a console-worthy PC controller with some caveats.”

The silver lining is that Valve appears well-positioned to produce more Steam Controllers quickly, as the gamepad doesn’t rely on hard-to-find components like RAM. While we continue to await the Steam Machine and Steam Frame, it’s clear that Valve is making strides with its latest hardware developments.