While Valve's upcoming living room-friendly gaming PC, the Steam Machine, has been delayed due to memory shortages, its new premium $99 Steam Controller PC gaming accessory thankfully came out on schedule on May 4. Sadly, though, the manufacturer clearly didn't have enough supply to meet the ravenous demand for the controller, as it sold out mere hours after launch.
This has frustrated countless PC gamers who were hoping to get their hands on Valve's advanced gamepad, especially since scalpers — individuals who buy new products in bulk and then resell them for significantly higher prices — have begun to list Steam Controllers for upwards of $399 on sites like eBay. People are angry, to put things lightly. And they're right to be.
Right now, it's unclear when Steam Controllers will be restocked, and it seems like they'll remain out of stock in the coming days and potentially even weeks. One bit of good news, though, is that Valve has promised customers it's working on improving availability and supply of the accessory, and says it "will have an update on expected timeline soon."
"[The] Steam Controller ran out faster than we anticipated, and we hate that not everyone who wanted one was able to get it," the company lamented in a social media post. "We’re working on getting more in stock and will have an update on expected timeline soon."
Steam Controller ran out faster than we anticipated, and we hate that not everyone who wanted one was able to get it. We’re working on getting more in stock and will have an update on expected timeline soon.May 5, 2026
While the new Steam Controller hasn't been without controversy — many feel that its high $99 price tag is too expensive, and its lack of compatibility with Xbox and PS5 consoles means that it's strictly relegated to Steam and PC gaming — the gamepad has nevertheless attracted the attention and demand of many users due to its advanced set of features.
In addition to having a standard layout of buttons you'd expect from a modern gaming controller, the Steam Controller also sports back buttons you can grip to enable gyro aiming, as well as trackpads that simulate mouse movement — similar to what you'll find on a Steam Deck.
Beyond that, the magnetic thumbsticks are incredibly high quality and support capacitive touch for motion control compatibility, while the gamepad's internal motors deliver immersive haptic feedback for those who enjoy the feel of controller rumble.
Indeed, there are plenty of reasons why a PC gamer might want a Steam Controller over more "standard" options like a regular Xbox gamepad, which makes the fact it instantly went out of stock all the more frustrated for interested customers. Hopefully Valve is able to get fresh waves of controllers on the market soon; if the company shares any further updates on the matter, we'll be covering it right here at Windows Central.
Are you interested in buying a Steam Controller, but haven't been able to due to how quickly it sold out? What about the gamepad makes it desirable enough for you to choose it over something more affordable, like an Xbox controller? I'm curious to hear from you, so please share your thoughts with me in the comments as well as in our poll.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
