Valve launched Steam Machine at $1,049 as chip costs surge
What's new: The gaming PC-console starts shipping June 29, but chip shortages limited launch supply.
Valve launched the Steam Machine on June 22, reviving its stand-alone console push with a high-end gaming PC priced from $1,049. The company plans to begin shipping units on June 29. Valve previously tried to build a Steam-branded console in 2015, then dropped the effort in 2018 after weak sales. Its stronger run with the Steam Deck, released in 2022 and credited with millions of sales, helped drive the new attempt. Valve tied the higher price to soaring memory-chip costs, which it said were locked in over the past six months as AI data-center demand tightened supply. The company also said the shortage reduced the number of units available at launch.