In Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, Valve’s Steam Machine is already sold out.
Anyone in the U.S. or Europe interested in Valve’s new Steam Machine must sign up for a reservation system.
In Asia, this safeguard was omitted– with predictable consequences: As the officialdistribution partner Komodo Stationhas just confirmed, the compact gaming PC in Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong sold out completely shortly after pre-sales began.
Despite the hefty starting price of the equivalent of around 1,033 euros for the base model, all four versions of the Steam Machine are now unavailable for order.
Direct sales instead of waiting in line
Prices in the Asian distribution partner’s store are on par with those in Europe, differing by only a few euros. All four models available for sale in Europe and the U.S. were offered.
- Steam Machine 512 GB:approx. 1,033 euros
- Steam Machine 512 GB (includes controller):approx. 1,115 euros
- Steam Machine 2 TB:approx. 1,360 euros
- Steam Machine 2 TB (includes controller):approx. 1,441 euros
However, Komodo now reports that all four models are completely out of stock. The reason for the rapid sell-out also lies in the distribution model: Unlike in Europe or the U.S., the Asian online store did not have a reservation list that would have made sales fairer.
Protection Against Scalpers vs. “First Come, First Served”
In the West, Valve is taking a different approach: Here, interested buyers can sign up for a list, after which a random drawing determines who will be among the first buyers of the Steam Machine.
This artificial delay is primarily intended to prevent scalpers from buying up the coveted hardware only to resell it immediately at inflated prices on marketplaces like eBay.
More on this topic:Steam Machine: How does the Valve PC fare in initial tests?
The result of the unregulated pre-sale in Asia: Anyone who didn’t click the “Buy” button right on time at launch will, in all likelihood, come away empty-handed for now.
Even though it remains unclear exactly how many units Valve made available to its Asian partner for the launch, the immediate sell-out sends a clear signal: The new Steam Machine is in extremely high demand, despite the price-to-performance ratio that was heavily criticized in the run-up to the launch.
