Valve Unveils Steam Machine Pricing

By
Garth Franklin
-
Valve

Valve has unveiled the pricing for its new Steam Machines, which will arrive this Summer, and a console killer this ain’t.

The machine will be available in four configurations: two with a 512Gb hard disk and two with a 2Tb hard disk. The only difference between the two of each size is the controller option. Pricing-wise, they are as follows:

Steam Machine 512 GB
US$1,049 (CA$1,509 / EU€1,039 / UK£879 / AU$1,609)

Steam Machine 512 GB with Steam Controller
US$1,128 (CA$1,628 / EU€1,108 / UK£938 / AU$1,728)

Steam Machine 2 TB
US$1,349 (CA$1,919 / EU€1,359 / UK£1,149 / AU$2,109)

Steam Machine 2 TB with Steam Controller
US$1,428 (CA$2,038 / EU€1,428 / UK£1,208 / AU$2,228)

These prices make the machine far more expensive than either the base PS5 ($599.99), Xbox Series X ($649.99), or PS5 Pro ($899.99), despite the machine’s power being said to be less than that of the base PS5.

Some had hoped Valve would subsidise the hardware to bring the cost down as the console manufacturers do. However, in a statement to The Verge, the company made it clear they have no such plans as they are staunchly against a ‘walled garden’ approach to business – taking a shot at consoles in the process:

“While this might seem like an easy solution, it doesn’t align with our beliefs about how healthy ecosystems are built. If there’s anything we’re religious about at Valve, it’s our belief that open systems are better in the long run, for ourselves and customers.

When companies sell their hardware under cost for competitive advantage, or buy exclusive content for it, they’re doing that to build a more closed system, one where you don’t get to choose what software you want to use.

We don’t want that for PC hardware, and we don’t think you should want it either. You shouldn’t feel like you have to buy Valve hardware; you should be able to view it as just one option alongside all the devices for playing games, and select the one that makes sense for you.

This means you get to decide which device fits your personal tradeoffs around things like price, performance, form factor, peripheral support, and everything else you care about. That’s the strength of the open PC platform, and subsidizing hardware runs counter to it.”

One good bit of news is that the company says its first shipments will go out to customers next week, starting on June 29th. Pre-orders kick off on Thursday, June 25th, with ‘waiting lists’ now open.

The list is because Valve is limiting the number of Steam Machines that customers can purchase, and is restricting who can purchase one, in an attempt to curb scalpers amid limited supply. Customers can now register for a chance to buy one at the Steam Machine’s page on Steam.