Steam Machine summer launch confirmed in hopeful update, but still no price

The Steam Machine and Steam Frame have been hit by rising component costs even before launch, but Steam still seems committed to bringing the standalone PCs to consumers “this summer.”

Steam officially added the Steam Machine and Steam Frame to its Verified program, noting that the devices would launch “this summer.” The new date doesn’t come as a surprise, but it’s notably a lot more specific than “before the end of 2026.”

Previous updates seemed to insinuate that Steam wasn’t entirely sure the SteamOS PC would be a reality this year. This most recent update seems to put that notion to bed.

A Verified badge indicates certain games and programs are compatible with the corresponding device. It’s one of the key details Steam Deck users look for when installing a new game. When it doesn’t have that badge, there’s a chance performance will take a drag because Steam hasn’t ensured its factory configurations can run that title without hiccups.

There’s a high likelihood that more games will be approved for the Steam Machine than Deck when it is launched. Valve says the Steam machine is six times more powerful running the same software, and that to get verified, the requirements are twice as stringent. Steam says games that run well on the Deck will absolutely run well on the Steam Machine, which was an unspoken given.

The Steam Frame isn’t as powerful, but Steam confirms it’ll be a standalone PC capable of running its own titles without a supporting PC.

The biggest portion of this news that seems to be missing is the price for each device. Steam hasn’t nailed down a starting price for the Steam Machine or Steam Frame. The Steam Machine’s price was originally expected to be around $600, though that estimate has since gone up as the company has rolled out regular updates on the production process.

More rumors have surfaced as the Steam Machine launch has been pushed back. Some of the most recent estimates put the device at around $1,000. That’s a big ask for users who seemed to be sure they were going to get a PC-like console for nearly half of that.

Even still, a summer launch is closer than expected.