Steam Machine tipped to launch in four hardware configurations

Valve may be preparing to introduce a reservation system for its upcoming Steam Machine reboot, much like the one it recently implemented for the Steam Controller after the first wave sold out almost instantly. Considering the massive demand for Valve’s new hardware, the move would make a lot of sense - and recent code discoveries strongly suggest it’s already in the works.

Reddit user pepeizq spotted references to the Steam Machine inside the reservation system code found through Steam Tracker on GitHub. Interestingly, the code specifically mentions “4 Steam Machine Packages,” hinting that Valve could be planning multiple configurations for the device.

While nothing has been officially confirmed yet, many users believe the four possible bundles could look something like this:

• 512GB Steam Machine with Steam Controller
• 512GB Steam Machine without controller
• 2TB Steam Machine with Steam Controller
• 2TB Steam Machine without controller

This is still speculation for now, since the code only references four packages without describing them directly. However, Valve has already announced multiple storage versions of the Steam Machine, making bundled controller options seem plausible.

A reservation system would also help Valve avoid a repeat of the Steam Controller launch, which sold out in under an hour and immediately appeared on resale sites like eBay at heavily inflated prices - often two or three times the original $99 / £85 / €99 MSRP.

If Valve does move forward with reservations, buyers likely won’t receive the hardware immediately after ordering. Instead, users would join a queue and receive an invitation to complete the purchase once stock becomes available. Given the chaos surrounding the Steam Controller release, many fans would probably prefer this more controlled rollout approach for the Steam Machine launch.

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