Valve has begun accepting reservations for its Steam Machine gaming devices, but the system has quickly attracted scalpers who are listing reservation slots on eBay for more than double the retail price. The company opened up sign-ups earlier this week, with users receiving notifications about whether they secured a spot in the reservation queue or were placed on a waitlist.
The Steam Machine, which has a limited stock, was expected to be difficult to acquire. Valve implemented a randomized reservation system, described as a "less frustrating and more fair" approach, to ensure the devices reached actual players. However, this system has also allowed scalpers to gain access to reservation opportunities.
Listings for Steam Machine reservations have surfaced on eBay with prices ranging from a few hundred dollars above retail to over twice the original cost. For instance, a 512GB model with a controller, listed by Valve at $1,128, was sold on eBay for $1,500, representing a markup of nearly $400.
More significant markups were also observed. A 2TB Steam Machine with a controller, which retails for $1,428, sold for $2,100. In another instance, the 2TB model without a controller, originally priced at $1,349, was listed and sold for $2,899, more than double Valve's asking price. Potential buyers should also factor in shipping costs when considering these resold units.
This scalping behavior is not unprecedented for Valve releases. Similar incidents occurred with the recent pre-orders for the new Steam Controller, which originally cost $99 but saw resale listings reaching over $250.