Valve assures that Steam Machine will be launched in 2026
What's the story
Valve has reaffirmed its commitment to launch the Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and Steam Controller this year. The confirmation comes after a blog post from the company hinted otherwise. Despite ongoing memory shortages affecting the production schedules across industries, Valve is sticking to its timeline for these new hardware products.
Timeline
Valve clarifies hardware launch timeline
Initially, Valve had planned to launch all three hardware products in "early 2026" or "Q1 2026." However, the company later revised its target to the first half of the year. This change was seen as a possible delay in product launches. After a recent blog post from Valve hinted at another possible delay, Kaci Aitchison Boyle, a PR representative for the company clarified that "nothing has actually changed on our end."
Production challenges
Memory shortage affecting hardware manufacturers
The ongoing memory shortage has been a major hurdle for hardware manufacturers, including Valve. The crisis started when AI companies began buying up memory chips in bulk, driving up costs. The situation is so dire that even tech giant Apple is said to be paying more for memory. Last month, Valve also warned that this RAM crisis could impact the stock of its Steam Deck OLED model.