Steam Controller reservation hopefuls hit by fresh disappointment with Valve's latest hardware update

In a move that will be hugely disappointing to a lot of PC gamers, Valve has pushed back the "estimated order windows" for Steam Controller reservations to at least September, with some prospective buyers even seeing their estimated order date delayed until 2027. In a new post on its website, Valve has admitted that "initial demand exceeded our expectations" and that in order to "manage expectations as much as we can" it has implemented this new system with these long estimated delivery times.

Valve's new system means that if you sign up for a spot in the Stream Controller order queue system (or already have a place on it), you'll be presented with one of three estimated order windows. The earliest date you'll be given for potentially getting the best PC controller is September 2026, with the next window set for December 2026, and the final window simply marked as some time in 2027.

Valve hadn't previously provided potential order dates for its reservation queue system, so technically this update isn't a delay for those in the queue. However, the fact that the earliest estimated order window is September will be a disappointment to those who have already been patiently waiting weeks for their chance to buy the new controller.

In its update post, Valve explains that "We have no plans to stop making Steam Controller. 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 today, the Steam Controller page will show you a time frame by when you can expect to receive your order email, based on when you reserved," it continued.

Explaining the exact situation for those who already have an order, Valve says that if you are logged in to your Steam account and go to the Steam Controller page, you'll see the newly updated expected order window. Depending on when you signed up for the reservation queue, you could see any one of the three time frames mentioned above.

Meanwhile, if you sign up for a place in the queue now, you can still do so, but you'll immediately be put to the back ot the queue, with an estimated purchase date of some time in 2027.

The way the reservation system works is that you must be signed in to your Steam account (which must have already been active for three months) and visit the Steam Controller page to sign up to the queue system. When your turn in the queue comes around, you'll have 72 hours to complete your order before losing your place in the queue.

As to why the Steam Controller is so popular, partly it's simply because Valve has such a cult following, but there's also the fact that it is a great addition for PC gaming. As I explore in my Steam Controller review, its trackpads open up so many possibilities simply unavailable to most normal controllers.

Valve hasn't yet said whether a similar system will immediately be implemented for the Steam Frame and Steam Machine launches, despite both being expected to launch "this summer." Either way, it's clear Valve's hardware is exceptionally popular, and you'll have to be on the ball to be in with a chance of grabbing it when it launches.