Valve gives an update on Steam Machine waitlist and reservations

Valve has shared new details on the reservation and waitlist system for the Steam Machine. The company now expects to clear the entire reservation queue by the end of 2026, meaning anyone who signed up before today should get their chance to purchase the system sometime between now and late December.

Valve began shipping the Steam Machine at the end of June and has been fulfilling orders daily. Reservation holders are being contacted in the order they were placed following the initial randomisation process. According to Valve, every existing reservation will be served before the end of the year, with purchase emails continuing to roll out steadily. The company also noted that each product and region has its own queue, which can move at different speeds depending on demand.

In some cases, Valve has already reached the end of a regional reservation queue and begun pulling names from the waitlist. A small number of users were mistakenly sent purchase emails immediately, skipping the step where Valve confirms that they have been moved into the reservation queue. Going forward, anyone transitioning from the waitlist will first receive a confirmation message, followed by a purchase email once their position in the queue comes up. Valve emphasised that waitlisted users are not being moved ahead of existing reservations.

For those currently holding a reservation, the expectation is clear. Everyone will receive a purchase email before the end of the year, and once that email arrives, buyers will have 72 hours to complete the order before their slot is passed to the next person. Waitlisted users may still be moved into reservations depending on the product they selected, and Valve will notify them if that happens.

KitGuru Says: Valve appears confident in its production ramp for the Steam Machine, with both reservation and waitlist movement accelerating. If you signed up before today, you should be in line to receive stock before the end of 2026.

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