Valve’s new Steam Controller sells out in a flash
Intelligence Summary
- Valve’s new Steam Controller sold out fast, with scalpers asking up to $400.
Valve’s new Steam Controller sells out in a flash
Valve recently released a new version of the Steam Controller, which quickly drew a lot of attention. Priced at $100, the controller sold out within half an hour, showing just how strong demand is for gaming peripherals.
Sales and scalpers
The new Steam Controller, designed to deliver an improved gaming experience on PC, is now being resold by scalpers for exorbitant prices, with listings reaching as high as $400 on platforms like eBay. That’s up to three times the original price, highlighting how sought-after the controller has become and how much demand there is, despite costing more than the PlayStation 5 DualSense and Xbox Series X/S controllers.
Steam Controller features
The Steam Controller includes some impressive features, including haptic trackpads that let users game without a mouse and keyboard. This is a significant improvement over previous models and offers a unique gameplay experience. One notable detail is that the controller contains no RAM, which exempts it from current component shortages and helps explain how quickly it sold out.
Purchase issues
During the May 4, 2026 sale, many Steam users ran into problems while trying to buy the controller because of the high demand. Error messages appeared referring to a "high volume of purchase requests," indicating overwhelming interest in the controller.
Timeline
May 4, 2026: Valve releases the new Steam Controller for $100; it sells out within 30 minutes.
May 4, 2026: Scalpers begin listing the controller on eBay for prices ranging from $220 to $400.
May 5, 2026: Users report issues buying the controller due to extremely high demand.
Valve has not yet announced when more stock will be available, but it’s likely that some of the initial supply was reserved for the upcoming launch of the Steam Machine, which was previously expected to arrive alongside the controller.
For gamers trying to get their hands on a Steam Controller, it’s currently a matter of waiting for more stock or considering the bold prices being asked by scalpers on eBay, which are usually well above the original retail price.
It remains to be seen how Valve will respond to the huge demand and whether it can make the sought-after gaming peripheral more accessible in the future.
