Valve may have succeeded in preventing scalpers from ruining the launch of the Steam Machine, but the company can’t stop people from selling their devices. Or, in this case, their future devices.
Like some sort of digital version of the midnight launches of old, a number of players have already listed their spots in the queue to buy a Steam Machine on eBay for varying markups.
The listings Eurogamer viewed include nothing more than screenshots of email confirmations from Valve that the seller in question is in the queue to buy a Steam Machine. This partly explains why most of them are of the 512GB base model, since Valve said the best way to get one is to sign up for multiple models.
In order to limit scalping, Valve introduced a system whereby customers can sign up to indicate their interest in buying a Steam Machine. Valve would then email players who got through to let them know they’re in a queue to buy it. The actual purchase itself happens later, which is what makes these listings extra silly.
One such listing shows the item has already been sold. The listing had the 512GB model with a controller – officially priced £938 ($1,128) – for £1,030 ($1,363) instead, a £92 (or $235 when accounted for the difference) markup. Perhaps the reason it sold so quickly is because it’s among the most reasonable. Most other listings have far higher markups. This one has the 512GB model, without a controller, for a cool £1511 ($2,000) or “best offer”. One of the few listings offering the ultimate 2TB with controller bundle, is asking for £1,823 ($2,412), a staggering £615 ($984) markup.
Many of the sellers behind the listings have hundreds of eBay buyer reviews, and some over a thousand, most of them positive – though others are clearly first-time scalpers.
The Steam Machines in those listings will start shipping sometime in July, and some resellers indicate that on the page. Because of the fluid nature of Valve’s queue system, many will almost certainly get their units much later, at which point it would take even longer for them to ship them to their aspirational eBay buyers.
It’s a shame to see things get to the point of people essentially selling the promise of getting a device, rather than the device itself, for a quick buck. The safeguards Valve put in place with its queue and ordering system have clearly helped, however, as you’d otherwise have a much higher volume of eBay listings.
If you’re curious what all the fuss is about, you should hear it from someone who spent quite a bit of time using the Steam Machine the way it was intended. Chris Tapsell talks all about their experience in the Eurogamer review, which covers what the machine actually feels like to use. If you’re not swayed, maybe one of those Steam Machine knock-offs have what you’re looking for instead.
