Valve has just buried the Steam Machine and no one noticed

MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann thinks: Valve has drastically increased the price of the Steam Deck and has also unofficially buried the Steam Machine. Currently, there is hardly any chance that the Steam Machine will come to market at reasonable prices.

Let’s be honest: I hardly know anyone who wasn’t excited about the announcement of the Steam Machine.

Gaming performance at mid-range level, in a compact size and still affordable? In my eyes, Valve hit a home run at the end of 2025. At the same time, they advertised that “the Steam Machine is as good as or better than 70% of the devices people own” and thus showed who they had in mind as potential customers for the device.

Now, in a swift action, Valve has drastically increased the price of two “Steam Deck” models. And thus, the Steam Machine as an affordable option has essentially been ruled out.

Start video

Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer

Autoplay

The dream of an affordable Steam Machine has vanished for many

What were the hopes? Many potential buyers had hoped that the price of the Steam Machine would remain below 1,000 euros. This would have given the Steam Machine a good chance to become a great success on paper. The price was always regarded in the community as the notorious Achilles’ heel of the Steam Machine.

You have to understand what it means that Valve is dramatically raising the prices for the Steam Deck: The price adjustments are likely also applicable to the (still) unknown price of the Steam Machine. And this, in turn, means: For most players, the Steam Machine is either going to be unaffordable or there will simply be better alternatives.

And who is going to buy a Steam Machine that will cost 1,300 euros or even 1,500 euros as a base model? Just looking at the competition in the PC sector, the Steam Machine has hardly any chance here. For comparison: For a decent mid-range PC, you pay between 1,000 and 1,200 euros depending on the equipment (as of May 28, 2026). For that money, you get a system with an RX 9060 (XT) or an RTX 5060, which is sufficient for high-end Full HD.

And for that money, a “real” gaming PC remains the better option: Because you can still upgrade the gaming PC later, while with a Steam Machine, you have to accept the limited upgradability.

With this, Valve has more or less officially buried the Steam Machine: If the device is brought to market at significantly increased prices in the upcoming weeks and months, the Steam Machine is likely to be doomed.

However, one must also realize that the price increases are currently affecting all areas: PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch 2, all have become more expensive in recent weeks.