Steam Machine Incoming? Valve Imports Thousands of ‘Game Consoles’ Into the US

Even if Valve isn’t keen to let slip when we can expect the Steam Machine to launch, it certainly seems to be stockpiling the hardware for it. The Verge reports that over the past few days, Valve has shipped over 45 tons of unspecified “Game Consoles” into the US, following around 90 tons of previous orders since February.

The Steam Machine has been delayed several times due to global memory shortages, but when it does launch, Valve will want lots of stock on hand. Even if the price is high, the Steam Machine is likely to be popular, at least around launch.

To that end, perennial Valve watcher Brad Lynch has been posting X updates on Valve shipments and warehousing over the past few weeks, noting that it has received over 90 tons of “Game Console” units from China. The Verge further reports another 45 tons landed between April 30 and May 1.

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With Valve claiming the Steam Machine weighs around 5.7 pounds, this latest 45-ton delivery would equate to fewer than 20,000 Steam Machines, especially if you factor in packaging and any accessories like controllers and power cables that shipped from China too.

It is possible that these are merely shipments of Steam Decks designed to shore up Valve’s spotty supply, and that we’re not quite ready for a Steam Machine release just yet. Indeed, Valve would probably need more for a general release, especially in the US.

It could also be that these are Steam Frame headsets and that hardware is set to release first. But it’s the Steam Machine that is the big Valve release for this year. More gamers are interested in a small, capable gaming PC that can double as a home theater PC in the living room than in an expensive, if advanced, mixed-reality headset.

But with the Steam Controller selling out almost immediately after launch, Valve could be feeling confident that the Steam Machine will do the same.

About Our Expert

Jon Martindale

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Experience

Jon Martindale is a tech journalist from the UK, with 20 years of experience covering all manner of PC components and associated gadgets. He’s written for a range of publications, including ExtremeTech, Digital Trends, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, and Lifewire, among others. When not writing, he’s a big board gamer and reader, with a particular habit of speed-reading through long manga sagas. 

Jon covers the latest PC components, as well as how-to guides on everything from how to take a screenshot to how to set up your cryptocurrency wallet. He particularly enjoys the battles between the top tech giants in CPUs and GPUs, and tries his best not to take sides.

Jon’s gaming PC is built around the iconic 7950X3D CPU, with a 7900XTX backing it up. That’s all the power he needs to play lightweight indie and casual games, as well as more demanding sim titles like Kerbal Space Program. He uses a pair of Jabra Active 8 earbuds and a SteelSeries Arctis Pro wireless headset, and types all day on a Logitech G915 mechanical keyboard.

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