The new Steam Controller sold out within minutes of its May 4 release, and scalpers have already listed their units on eBay for up to three times the original price. Valve’s storefront, Steam, was the exclusive platform for the launch, and demand for the company’s new peripheral was reportedly so high that it caused the site to crash and malfunction for a period.
Back in February 2026, the Steam Deck suddenly sold out on Valve’s US storefront and at several other retailers. At the same time, reports suggested the popular handheld’s manufacturer could soon face supply issues due to the ongoing RAM shortage. Now, fans are worried that getting their hands on the new Steam Controller may also be a challenge, even though it does not appear to be affected by the memory shortage.
Valve Shares Encouraging Update on Steam Machine Release Plans
Valve shares an encouraging signal about the Steam Machine’s status just as it finally commits to a Steam Controller release date.
Steam Controller Listings on eBay Could Go Over $300
Reports suggest the Steam Controller sold out within the first 30 minutes, and scalpers’ eBay listings appeared almost immediately with steep markups. One listing in particular, which includes “purchase confirmed” in the title, is asking for around $330 USD. For comparison, Valve’s official price for the new Steam Controller is $99 USD, meaning the reseller is charging more than three times the original price.
An interesting detail is that none of the Steam Controller buyers have actually received the product yet, as shipping will take a few days. This means the eBay listings are effectively reselling successful orders placed through the Steam store, rather than the physical product itself.
Hundreds of users took to social media to complain about the launch and how Valve handled it, with many saying they could not even access the store page. Third-party tools like Downdetector show a clear spike in issues around the time the controller went live. Even some of those who managed to secure the peripheral said the process was far from smooth, noting they had to refresh the payment page multiple times before completing their purchase.
GameRant Quiz
Easy (15s)Medium (10s)Hard (5s)
The situation has sparked comparisons between Valve and the Japanese gaming giant Nintendo. During the Switch 2’s launch, Nintendo implemented several measures to curb scalping, such as requiring proof of purchase for warranty claims in Japan and limiting reservations to users with verified accounts. Now, some fans believe Valve could adopt similar safeguards to prevent scalpers and bots from quickly depleting Steam Controller stock, much like how Nintendo Switch 2 preorders were protected from resellers.
Thousands of fans who were unable to purchase the device at launch are now waiting for Valve to clarify its restocking plans. As of this writing, the company has neither commented on the sell-out nor provided any replenishment timeline. However, it will likely have more stock of the popular controller soon, as it has done with most of its Steam peripherals in the past.
Valve also has two other gaming products that fans are eagerly anticipating, the Steam Machine and Steam Frame. While the ongoing RAM shortage has reportedly affected their launch to some extent, the company still appears on track to release them later this year. Ideally, these launches will be smoother, giving more players a chance to pick them up without turning to eBay and paying inflated prices.