Valve has significantly scaled back expectations for its Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame hardware launching in 2026. In a Year in Review blog, the company moved from promising a first-half 2026 release to now only hoping to ship products this year. The vague new timeline suggests Valve may not release any new hardware in 2026 at all.

This shift follows ongoing memory and storage shortages that Valve acknowledged in February. At that time, the company still committed to shipping all three products in the first half of the year, though it warned pricing and launch dates remained uncertain. Now, Valve's language has become even more tentative, stating it will share updates only after finalizing plans.

The hardware delays reflect broader industry challenges. HP reported RAM now accounts for a third of PC costs, while analysts warn the shortage could force companies to raise prices. Valve is already struggling to keep its Steam Deck in stock due to component shortages, making it difficult to source parts for additional devices.