Valve Says Steam Controller Unaffected By RAM Shortage
Valve says the gamepad is ready now, while RAM shortages are forcing price and launch-date reviews for its other hardware plans.
- Valve confirmed the Steam Controller will officially launch on May 4 for $99, marking the first release from its delayed 2026 hardware lineup ahead of the Steam Machine and Steam Frame.
- Hardware engineer Steve Cardinali explained the Steam Controller launches first because "there's no RAM in it," while industry-wide memory shortages forced Valve to delay the Steam Machine and Steam Frame.
- Designer Lawrence Yang clarified Valve never planned simultaneous launches; the company prioritized building sufficient inventory for the controller while the other devices remain subject to component constraints.
- Yang confirmed Valve's broader hardware plans have been "definitely impacted" by the RAM shortage and rising costs, though the company remains committed to shipping all devices within 2026.
- TechRadar's managing editor Matt Hanson reviewed the Steam Controller, calling it a "massive improvement over the flawed original" with innovations and a user-friendly design.
13 Articles
13 Articles
'This doesn't have RAM in it, and it's not as complicated to start getting out the door for us' — Valve confirms it's releasing the Steam Controller before the Steam Machine in response to RAM crisis, but originally saw 'no need' to ship them together
Valve has announced that it will release the Steam Controller next month, before the Steam Machine, amid the ongoing RAM shortage crisis.
Of the whole range of new devices presented by Valve, only Steam Controller is going to be released. The RAM memory crisis involves a delay in the arrival of Steam Machine and Steam Frame.In return we will receive a high-end “supermando” with gyroscope, track pads, special sensors and a number of luxury specifications.Many, but not all. The device will be incompatible with PC Game Pass, due to a lack of drivers related to Windows 11.Steam Contro…
Steam Controller: At Least This One Is Not Being Hit by the RAM Shortage!
Valve has officially confirmed when the new controller is coming, and while it will be a bit more expensive than originally hoped, RAM scarcity is not the main culprit here… The first of the three new hardware products that Valve announced in November will arrive on May 4, and it would have been a much bigger surprise if a review of the product had not already leaked days ago. The Steam Controller will cost $99, and €99 as well, which puts it …
Steam Frame isn't Launching Alongside Steam Controller on May 4th Due to RAM Shortage
Steam Controller, Valve’s next-gen gamepad, is slated to launch on May 4th for $100, although you shouldn’t expect to see a big ‘buy’ button next to Steam Frame or Steam Machine. Speaking to Polygon, Valve revealed that it’s only releasing Steam Controller next month for a pretty important (and slightly obvious) reason: Steam Controller “doesn’t have RAM in it,” Valve hardware engineer Steve Cardinali told Polygon. “We wanted to build up quantit…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left, 50% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
