More Steam Controllers are on the way, and anyone hoping to get one can reserve their spot in the queue ahead of time. It didn’t take long for scalpers to ruin the release of Valve’s shiny new hardware, but the company was quick to respond to the faster-than-expected stock-out. Registration for the next shipments of the Steam accessory will open soon, and hopefully, the new requirements will make things a little fairer.
The gamepad had its fair share of skeptics upon its initial reveal, with some criticizing its price and size. Still, those concerns clearly weren’t massive barriers to adoption, as the Steam Controller sold out in half an hour after going live, leaving many gamers without the chance to get their hands on one. Unsurprisingly, scalpers began listing the hardware for triple the price soon after, and as fans spoke out about the situation, Valve took steps to smooth things over going forward.
The Steam Deck is Getting More Expensive For Some Gamers
Some gamers will soon find that the Steam Deck is more expensive than it used to be, indicating more problems for Valve fans.
Reservations for New Steam Controller Orders Open May 8
On May 7, Valve announced that it would institute a reservation queue for new Steam Controller orders starting on May 8 at 10 AM Pacific Time (1 PM Eastern). Importantly, this does not mean the second batch of controllers will be ready to roll out that day. Rather, this registration system will go live first and save users’ place in line ahead of the replenishment. Anyone who reserves a spot will receive an email with a link to buy the controller in the same order that registrations were made, and while it may not be immediate, it won’t be a long wait. Valve previously said it was working to restock the Steam Controller soon, and this new update confirms orders from these reservations will begin rolling out the week of May 11 in the U.S. and Canada, followed by other regions in the weeks after.
GameRant Quiz
Easy (15s)Medium (10s)Hard (5s)
On top of requiring a reservation, Valve is instituting several protections to minimize scalping this time around. Users will only be able to order one controller apiece; there will be just 72 hours to make a purchase after receiving the email; and anyone who’s already ordered a Steam Controller isn’t eligible for now. Beyond that, accounts that haven’t made any purchases prior to April 27, 2026, when Valve first announced the Steam Controller’s release date and price, and those that aren’t in good standing on Steam, won’t be able to make a reservation.
Those lucky enough to secure one the first time have good news, too. The first batch of Steam Controller orders is starting to arrive, with users in at least 22 countries seeing their controllers move through the shipping process. It seems like Valve is being fairly prompt about packaging and sending its controllers out the door, which may help assuage some of the controversy around the situation. While there are still plenty of frustrated would-be buyers, the new queue system should help ease concerns going forward as well.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
Only time will tell how well this reservation system works or how many Steam Controllers will ship out in the second round. If this approach is successful, it stands to reason that Valve may do something similar whenever it finally releases the Steam Machine later this year. The company hasn’t clarified whether that will be the case, but it would seem a sensible thing to do given how quickly its other hardware has sold out.
