Over the past few weeks, we have received several indications that the Steam Machine is getting very close to launch. Today's indication comes straight from Valve itself in the latest SteamOS 3.8.9 beta update, which is only making the silence surrounding the console's price even more deafening, especially following the significant price increase of the Steam Deck. With former Xbox executive Mike Ybarra pointing to the system as PlayStation's biggest upcoming console competitor, this hints at the beginning of a future market shakeup.
SteamOS 3.8.9, Now Ready For the Steam Machine
Over the weekend, Valve pushed out a new SteamOS 3.8.9 Beta: Second Clutch, introducing new fixes and features that are still being tested. For those waiting for the Steam Machine, the most significant change is the addition of "initial support for upcoming Steam Machine hardware." Unfortunately, we do not know what this initial support entails, but this addition remains significant as it suggests the system could only be a few weeks away, as suggested earlier this month by the addition of the Welcome Tour to the Steam backend.
The Steam Frame Is Also Coming Very Soon
The Steam Machine is only a third of Valve's hardware lineup for 2026, as the company also launched a new Steam Controller last month and is gearing up for the release of the Steam Frame VR headset. Like the Steam Machine, the VR headset was supposed to launch earlier in the year, but was delayed due to the rising prices of components, RAM especially, that are impacting the entire gaming industry.
Although official information on the Steam Frame release date has yet to be announced, insider Brad Lynch reported a few days ago that the first imports have arrived at Valve's warehouses in the United States, suggesting that preparations for an imminent launch are underway.
The Steam Machine and Steam Frame's Biggest Mysteries: Their Price
With so many indications that both the Steam Machine and the Steam Frame are close to launch, the silence on their price is really telling, in a way. Back in November, the gaming community met Valve's 2026 hardware lineup with excitement, but things went sour quickly as RAMmageddon began, driving RAM prices high, followed by price increases for SSDs and other components.
The impact was immediately felt across the board. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all increased the price of their consoles, as did Valve with its Steam Deck. Back in March, the Steam Machine internal price topped the current $949 Steam Deck OLED price, suggesting that the system is going to launch at a very high price that will inevitably impact its appeal.
However, as the Steam Deck OLED sold out quickly even after its launch, the Steam Machine and the Steam Frame may still enjoy successful launches (that could indeed require a queue system to prevent scalpers from scooping up every launch unit), despite prices that will be significantly higher than expected. However, it remains to be seen if Valve's gaming system will truly become PlayStation's biggest competitor, as former Xbox exec Mike Ybarra believes.
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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