Valve on Steam Machine Delays: 'Obviously We're Bummed That This Is the State of Things'

Steam Machine Hits Another Delay

Valve has confirmed delays to its upcoming Steam Machine hardware in an interview with PC Gamer, with a spokesperson admitting: "Obviously we're bummed that this is the state of things." The candid acknowledgment signals that even Valve is frustrated by the situation internally.

The Steam Machine is a Linux-based gaming device running SteamOS, positioned as part of Valve's 2026 hardware lineup alongside the Steam Controller. It aims to serve as a dedicated gaming appliance competing with traditional gaming PCs and gaming consoles.

The delay is raising concerns beyond just timing. Community members are already worried that the hardware's specifications may become dated before it ships. One concern raised is around FSR support — specifically whether the Steam Machine will support INT8-level optimization for AMD's latest upscaling features. Without modern FSR support, the hardware's gaming performance advantages could be significantly diminished.

Competitive Pressure Builds

The delays come at an inconvenient time. Microsoft recently announced that Windows 11's upcoming K2 release is explicitly targeting SteamOS's gaming performance parity. Valve's SteamOS-based hardware now faces competitive pressure before it even launches. When Valve will announce a firm release date — and whether the hardware can remain competitive against both traditional PC gaming and Microsoft's renewed SteamOS challenge — remains to be seen.