Valve’s much-anticipated Steam Controller went on sale on Monday, May 4, and quickly sold out amid what many consider a chaotic launch. Payment processing errors at checkout prevented many customers from buying the controller before it went out of stock (which occurred in minutes), leaving frustrated players empty-handed. Valve has acknowledged this rough start and is going back to the drawing board to ensure the next wave of orders goes more smoothly.
In a Steam post, Valve announced it will open a reservation queue for the Steam Controller tomorrow, May 8, starting at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. Once you reserve your controller (limited to 1 per customer), your place in line will be saved. When the controller comes back in stock, order emails will be sent in the same order that reservations were made.
Once your order email arrives, it will state that you have three days (72 hours) to complete your purchase, or you will lose your reserved controller. Those who bought a Steam Controller the first go around cannot reserve another one during this second wave.
Additionally, there are two other prerequisites users must meet to purchase a Steam Controller at this juncture:
- Your account must be in good standing on Steam
- You must have made a purchase on Steam prior to April 27, 2026
“Replenishment of inventory will vary from region to region,” reads Valve’s Steam post. “We will start fulfilling reservations next week in the US / Canada, and UK / EU / AU in the following weeks.”
The Steam Controller is priced at $99 and launches ahead of the Steam Machine console that was announced last November. Although the Controller is designed to be compatible with the upcoming console, which is coming this year but has been delayed due to ongoing RAM shortages, it can be used independently as a dedicated PC gamepad. Reviews of the Steam Controller have been largely positive, which has contributed to its hype, so hopefully those looking to reserve one tomorrow have a much smoother time than what customers endured on Monday.
