Valve opens Steam Controller reservation queue after launch stock sells out in 30 minutes

Valve is changing how it sells the new Steam Controller after the first batch sold out almost immediately and scalpers began listing units at much higher prices.

The 2026 Steam Controller launched on May 4 and sold out in about 30 minutes. Demand was high, but many people who wanted one could not buy it through Steam. Soon after, resale listings appeared online with large markups.

Valve has now announced a reservation queue to make the buying process fairer. The queue opens on May 8 at 10am PT, 1pm ET, and 6pm BT. Each eligible Steam account can reserve one controller.

Once a controller becomes available, Valve will send an email to the account holder. After that, the buyer will have three days to complete the purchase. Anyone who has already bought a Steam Controller cannot reserve another one for now.

Valve is also adding account rules to limit reseller activity. To reserve a controller, your Steam account must be in good standing and must have made a purchase before April 27, 2026. These requirements should not affect most regular Steam customers, but they may make it harder for scalpers to create new accounts just to grab stock.

Here is how the reservation system works:

Valve said it was happy with the level of interest, but admitted the launch experience was frustrating for many buyers. The company also said it will keep restocking the controller as more units arrive.

The reservation queue should give regular players a better chance to buy the controller at its normal price instead of turning to resale listings. It will not remove scalping completely, but the account limits and purchase history requirement should make mass buying harder.