Valve/Unsplash
Valve’s randomized Steam Machine reservation system was designed to make launch day fairer and limit scalpers, but within hours of reservation emails going out, successful applicants were already listing their spots on eBay for thousands of dollars.
The company recently opened reservations instead of traditional pre-orders due to limited launch supply, with buyers randomly selected for a chance to purchase one of the new gaming PCs. Successful applicants have 72 hours to complete their purchase before their reservation is passed to the next person in line.
Early eBay listings show sellers attempting to cash in on the limited availability rather than purchasing the hardware themselves.
Steam Machine reservation spots appear on eBay for up to $2,899
Multiple completed and active eBay listings show reservation confirmations being sold at substantial markups over Valve’s retail pricing.
One completed listing for a Steam Machine 2TB reservation sold for $2,899, despite Valve pricing the model at $1,428. Another completed listing for the same configuration sold for $2,700.
The lower-end models are also being listed well above MSRP. A Steam Machine 512GB reservation without a controller was listed for $1,950, while another 512GB model with a controller appeared for $2,800.
eBay
The listings consist of screenshots showing confirmation emails stating the seller has been “officially in the reservation queue” for their selected model, allowing the buyer to complete the purchase through Valve before the reservation expires.
Valve introduced the randomized reservation system to reduce bot activity and reseller abuse following high demand for its latest hardware. To qualify, users needed a Steam account in good standing, at least one Steam purchase made before April 27, 2026, and could only reserve a single system.
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Despite those restrictions, reservation confirmations appeared on eBay almost immediately after emails were sent out, with several listings asking more than double Valve’s retail price.
