Following its delay from the early 2026 release window, the Steam Machine is inching closer to release, with the hardware added to the official list of Vulkan 1.4-conformant products and a queue system to prevent scalpers from scooping up every launch unit. Although all this doesn't narrow down the release window in any capacity, another recent development suggests Valve's new hardware could be only a few weeks away.
Over the weekend, known leaker Brad Lynch revealed on X that a Steam Machine welcome tour was added to the Steam backend last week. The same welcome tour for the new Steam Controller was added a few weeks before pricing and availability were announced, so if Valve follows the same patterns, we are only a few weeks away from the system's release.
As we already know the Steam Machine's specs, the only thing we still do not know about the system is its price. Following the Steam Deck price increase last week, Brad Lynch said the estimated price set a few months ago was still higher than current Steam Deck prices, which now top $949 for the OLED 1TB model. As such, the price of the system should be expected to significantly exceed $1000, due to the current high prices of RAM and storage, which will likely impact the price of next-generation consoles like the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Project Helix.
With a high price target and specs that are far from top-end, it remains to be seen how successful the Steam Machine will be once it launches. However, seeing how the Steam Deck sold out again after the price increase, Valve could still have a success story on its hands, proving once again how unpredictable the gaming market can be.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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