Valve doesn't sound confident the Steam Machine will ship in 2026

Source: Engadget

Ian Carlos Campbell – Contributing Reporter
Friday, March 6 2026 · 10:17 PM UTC

What Was Said Earlier

In February, Valve admitted that the global memory and storage shortage was already pushing back its hardware schedule and could increase prices. Nevertheless, the company maintained a relatively optimistic window:

“Our goal of shipping all three products in the first half of the year has not changed. But we have work to do to land on concrete pricing and launch dates that we can confidently announce, being mindful of how quickly the circumstances around both of those things can change.”
— Valve, February 2025

The Latest Update

The newer Year‑in‑Review post states:

“We hope to ship in 2026, but as we shared recently, memory and storage shortages have created challenges for us. We’ll share updates publicly when we finalize our plans!”
— Valve

This shift from a “first half of the year” target to a vague “hoping to ship in 2026” suggests that Valve may not release any of its new hardware this year.

Why the Delay Matters

• Industry‑wide RAM crunch: HP reported that RAM now accounts for more than a third of PC costs.
• Analyst warnings: IDC predicts a major downturn in the PC market due to the memory shortage.
• Steam Deck supply issues: Valve has already struggled to keep the Deck in stock because of RAM and storage constraints.

Given these pressures, securing components for additional devices like the Steam Machine will be even more challenging.

Outlook

Valve has not updated its launch‑timing FAQ, leaving a sliver of hope that the Steam Machine could still arrive in 2026. However, the company’s recent language gives it considerable leeway to postpone the release further if component shortages persist.

Sources

• Valve’s Year‑in‑Review blog (2025) – Steamworks announcement
• February memory‑shortage acknowledgment – Engadget article
• HP on RAM costs – Engadget article
• IDC market outlook – Engadget article
• Steam Deck supply issues – Engadget article