Valve adjusts hardware release schedule in response to component cost changes

Valve has adjusted the timeline for its hardware releases due to recent shortages in memory and storage components.

A blog update from yesterday (February 4) explained that Valve is working towards establishing prices and launch schedules it can announce with certainty, keeping in mind the rapidly changing circumstances.

In November, Valve revealed three upcoming Steam devices: the next-generation Steam Machine, Steam Frame VR headset, and a new Steam controller.

The company had not set specific pricing or launch dates but expressed its plan to release these in "early 2026."

"Our target to release all three products in the first half of the year remains," Valve stated. "However, the increase in memory and storage shortages, which has intensified rapidly, forces us to reassess our schedule and pricing, especially concerning Steam Machine and Steam Frame."

According to BBC News, RAM prices have "more than doubled" since October 2025, driven by the surge in data centers required for AI functions.

Chris Miller, historian and author, noted, "There's been a surge in demand for memory chips, primarily due to the high-end High Bandwidth Memory needed for AI, causing increased prices across various memory chips."

He added, "With demand clarity and supply constraints meeting, suppliers are consistently raising prices, sometimes significantly."

As Valve reevaluates pricing for its Steam hardware, it previously mentioned that the Steam Machine's price will be "quite competitive."

Valve software engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais mentioned, "If you build a PC from components to match the performance level, that's the general pricing range we are targeting."

"Our hope is to be very competitive and offer good value, though it's challenging currently to determine the exact price due to fluctuating factors."