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| Valve’s upcoming Steam Hardware lineup includes Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and the Steam Frame VR headset. |
By Jon Scarr
Valve has shared a new update on its upcoming Steam hardware lineup, acknowledging that final pricing and launch dates are still being worked out as the company navigates ongoing component shortages across the industry.
In a post on the Steam Hardware Blog, Valve said its original plan was to have firm details ready by now following the announcement of the Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and Steam Frame last November. However, limited availability and rising costs around memory and storage components have forced the company to revisit its exact release schedule and pricing plans.
While those details are still being finalized, Valve says its target of launching all three products in the first half of the year has not changed.
Component Shortages Continue to Affect Hardware Plans
Valve pointed to broader supply issues affecting the tech industry as the main reason for the delay in sharing final details. Memory and storage shortages, in particular, have become more severe since the initial announcement, making it difficult to lock in pricing.
Rather than commit to numbers that could quickly become outdated, Valve says it is taking more time to finalize plans and will continue to provide updates as decisions are made.
Steam Frame Clarified as a PC-Streaming VR Headset
Valve also used the update to clarify several aspects of Steam Frame, its upcoming VR headset built around PC streaming and SteamOS. The company confirmed that SteamOS includes a built-in browser, which is expected to allow access to third-party streaming services through a theatre-style viewing mode.
Steam Frame introduces a system-level feature called foveated streaming, which uses eye-tracking data to prioritize high-resolution data only in the portion of the display you’re actively looking at. Unlike foveated rendering, this approach does not require game-specific support and works across the Steam library.
Valve added that Steam Frame is designed to be modular, allowing community developers and third parties to expand its capabilities over time. The company is also exploring prescription lens inserts ahead of launch, alongside ongoing developer kit distribution through Steamworks.
Steam Machine Focuses on Performance and Upgradability
For Steam Machine, Valve shared more insight into how it’s approaching performance and customization. In internal testing, Valve says many Steam games run at 4K and 60 frames per second using upscaling, though some titles benefit from lower internal resolutions paired with variable refresh rate support.
The company is continuing work on driver-level improvements, including VRR over HDMI, improved upscaling options, and ray tracing performance. Valve also confirmed that Steam Machine is designed with user upgrades in mind, with accessible storage and memory options.
In addition, Valve plans to release CAD files and specifications for faceplates, allowing third-party manufacturers and users to create custom designs.
Steam Controller and Ongoing Hardware Support
Valve also addressed questions around the Steam Controller, confirming it can be used with non-Steam games through the Steam Overlay. While the company is no longer producing Valve Index hardware, it reiterated its commitment to ongoing support for existing Index owners.
A Longer-Term Approach to Steam Hardware
Valve says the Steam Hardware Blog will continue to serve as a central place for updates, feature deep dives, and regular “what’s new” posts as launch approaches. Rather than treating this hardware push as a single announcement cycle, Valve appears to be positioning Steam hardware as a longer-term platform that will continue to evolve over time.
For now, pricing and exact release dates remain open questions. Valve says it will share more details as soon as plans are finalized, while keeping its first-half-of-the-year launch window in place.
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