Today, Valve finally pulled the bandage off and revealed the price of the Steam Machine, the company’s console-like gaming device built for your living room TV. As expected, it ain’t cheap. The base model costs $1,050 and doesn’t come with a Steam Controller. The higher storage model with a controller costs $1,430. While it’s not surprising, as higher-end PCs and gaming devices are more expensive than ever due to RAMaggedon, the value proposition Valve landed on has people online feeling all sorts of different ways.

The general consensus is that while many understand why Valve was forced to increase the price of the Steam Machine before launch–it was apparently going to closer to around $750 before shit hit the fan globally–they are still disappointed with the result and frustrated by what it says about the broader state of the game industry. The fact that a device like the Steam Machine, which isn’t using next-gen PC parts and relies on upscaling to achieve 4K visuals, costs more than a PS5 Pro has a lot of people feeling sad and/or mad.

All future consoles may cost a bare minimum of $1000 but at least you can ask chatgpt if it's raining outside

Jon Cartwright (@jon.gvg.io) 2026-06-22T18:45:18.754Z

yeah the steam machine is expensive, but the good news is everyone is making so much more money thanks to our AI-enhanced productivity

Jacob Geller (@jacobgeller.com) 2026-06-22T17:31:10.462Z

idk man just have your steam machine mine crypto it'll pay for itself in like 40 years

Jesse Vitelli (@mamavitelli.bsky.social) 2026-06-22T17:34:43.939Z

computing was basically cooked the second nvidia realised they could make infinitely more money selling hardware to vultures brute-forcing the tech trend du jour than they ever could selling LED bricks to gamers that increase the glossiness on Kratos' lips.

nat. (@natclayton.bsky.social) 2026-06-22T17:32:14.972Z

Can't believe no one went with the headline "Finally, A Game Cube That Has Good Games On It"

Jeff Gerstmann (@jeffgerstmann.com) 2026-06-22T18:09:06.000Z

*holds your hand* let's start studying real world economics and capitalism friend.

Jeffrey Rousseau (@jrpotential.bsky.social) 2026-06-22T17:21:54.599Z

They call it the steam machine because the price makes you hopping mad

Joshua Rivera (@jmrivera.bsky.social) 2026-06-22T17:15:01.484Z

This is correct. The price isn’t about Valve. It is a wonderful little machine that Just Works, and its part logistics have been fucked beyond all recognition by our AI dipshit overlords. If you were Valve would you want this shit to be a thousand dollars

Stella Sacco (@antlervel.vet) 2026-06-22T17:15:22.354Z

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