Valve Steam Controller reservations slip to 2027 as demand exceeds expectations

Valve’s Steam Controller reservations have been pushed back to 2027 for many buyers

Valve has issued an update on its Steam Controller reservations, confirming that many will be fulfilled “in 2027”. Demand for Valve’s second-generation Steam Controller has exceeded the company’s expectations, and it cannot produce enough controllers to quickly meet demand.

In their statement, Valve has clarified that it has no plans to stop producing its Steam Controller. They simply cannot produce enough Steam Controllers fast enough to fulfil all reservations before the end of this year. In the post below, Valve aims to “manage expectations”.

When will you get your Steam Controller?

Gamers with a Steam Controller reservation will get one of three estimated order windows: “by September 2026”, “by December 2026”, and “in 2027”. Once Steam users reach the top of the reservation list, they will receive an email and have 72 hours to order their controller. If they don’t order a controller, they will be removed from the list. These non-orders could give other gamers the chance to order a Steam Controller earlier than expected.

If you want to see your order window for Valve’s Steam Controller, you can view it on the Steam Controller page when signed in to Steam.

When we launched Steam Controller last month, we quickly saw that initial demand exceeded our expectations. Switching to a reservation queue has (hopefully) cut down on the headaches on the customer side, and for us it’s also been helpful as we plan ahead and try to get as many out as quickly as we are able.

We have no plans to stop making Steam Controller. But as we look at the current demand compared to how many we know we can make by the end of the year, we want to manage expectations as much as we can with regards to when folks can expect to receive their order.

Starting today, the Steam Controller page will show you a time frame by when you can expect to receive your order email, based on when you reserved.

To keep it simple, we’re showing one of three estimated order windows:

• By September 2026

• By December 2026

• In 2027 (with additional information on specific timing to come)

What does this mean if I already have a reservation?

When you are logged in to your Steam account and go to the Steam Controller page, you’ll now see your expected order window. 

What if I haven’t reserved yet?

You still can! We will continue to accept reservations, and you’ll see an estimated order availability before you click the “reserve now” button.

• Though the current estimation for orders placed today forward indicate a 2027 date for shipping, we will update that estimate as we get closer.

For anyone with reservations OR hoping to make reservations:

• We will still be emailing customers with an option to purchase once their place in the queue comes up. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your order, otherwise you will be removed from the list and we’ll go to the next folks in line.

– Valve

Valve needs enough Steam Controllers for its Steam Machine launch and standalone controller purchases. This means that Valve has a large stockpile of Steam Controllers. However, many of these gamepads are bundled with Steam Machines. Since Steam Machines cannot ship without Steam Controllers, Valve needs to ensure it produces enough controllers to fulfil all Steam Machine orders. This is part of the reason why Steam Controller orders are taking so long to fulfil.

Hopefully Valve will find a way to increase its Steam Controller production capacity. This would help fulfil all reservations sooner. It would also allow fans of the controller to purchase extras for multiplayer games.

You can join the discussion on the exceptional demand for Valve’s Steam Controller on the OC3D Forums.