The price of the Steam Machine was inflated to over $3,000 before its official release date.
As soon as Valve began sending pre-order confirmation emails for the Steam Machine, speculators quickly drove the price of the device up to $3,200 on eBay, nearly three times the listed price.
Despite not officially launching until June 30th, Valve's Steam Machine gaming console has become the latest target for scalpers. Initial supply shortages have allowed online accounts to drive up the device's price to astronomical levels, despite the manufacturer's efforts to control it.
The market is in turmoil before the event.
Recently, Valve began sending confirmation emails to lucky customers selected to own the first batch of Steam Machines. However, just hours after these emails were sent out, numerous ads selling pre-order slots or machines that were about to arrive appeared on intermediary platforms like eBay.
According to Valve, the Steam Machine will be shipped in limited quantities initially. This is the key factor that has attracted speculators seeking to profit from impatient gamers. The current asking prices are shocking the tech community due to the huge discrepancy compared to its actual value.
Price analysis: Nearly 3 times higher than the listed price.
Based on data collected from eBay, the lowest price for a Steam Machine currently stands at around $1,700. More notably, some bundled packages have seen record-breaking prices. Below is a detailed comparison between Valve's listed price and the actual prices on the "black market":
| Version | Listed price (Valve) | Speculative prices (eBay) | The difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Machine 512GB Bundle (with Controller) | 1,128 USD | 3,200 USD | ~283% |
| Standard version | Undetermined | From $1,700 | Depending on fluctuations |
The fact that a product bundle originally priced at over $1,100 is being resold for $3,200 demonstrates the recklessness of speculators. Even more shocking is that there are still buyers willing to pay this price. At least one transaction was recorded at $2,800, proving the immense appeal of Valve's gaming device.
Advice for users
Hardware speculation is nothing new. Before the Steam Machine, the market witnessed similar price surges with graphics cards (GPUs), the PlayStation 5, and most recently, the new Steam Controller. The common thread in these price spikes is that they cool down as soon as supply stabilizes.
Tech experts advise users to avoid "exorbitant" prices on third-party exchanges. While Valve hasn't announced a specific schedule for the next pre-order period, it's highly likely they will add a significant amount of stock after the initial sale on June 30th ends. Patiently waiting will not only save gamers thousands of dollars but also help prevent speculation in the gaming industry.
