Valve has announced that demand for the Steam Controller has surpassed its initial expectations, prompting the company to provide more detailed delivery estimates for customers in the reservation queue.
In an update posted on Steam, Valve said, “When we launched Steam Controller last month, we quickly saw that initial demand exceeded our expectations.”
The company explained that moving to a reservation-based system has helped manage demand while allowing it to plan future production more effectively. Valve also stressed that it has no plans to discontinue the device.
“We have no plans to stop making Steam Controller,” the company said. “But as we look at the current demand compared to how many we know we can make by the end of the year, we want to manage expectations as much as we can with regards to when folks can expect to receive their order.”
Starting immediately, the Steam Controller store page will display one of three estimated order windows based on when a reservation was placed:
- By September 2026
- By December 2026
- In 2027, with more specific timing to be announced later
Customers who already have reservations can view their expected order window by logging into their Steam account and visiting the Steam Controller page.
Valve confirmed that reservations remain open. However, customers placing reservations now should expect a significantly longer wait.
“Though the current estimation for orders placed today forward indicate a 2027 date for shipping, we will update that estimate as we get closer,” Valve said.
The company also reiterated how the reservation process works. Customers will receive an email when their place in the queue is reached and will have 72 hours to complete their purchase. If the order is not completed within that period, the reservation will be removed and offered to the next customer in line.
The update marks the clearest indication yet that interest in the Steam Controller has substantially outpaced Valve’s production forecasts, resulting in new reservations being pushed into 2027.
