GoKawiilDespite tepid reviews, demand has exceeded supply for Valve's quiet but underpowered Steam Machine, leading to waitlists in many regions. In a new update, Valve says that it "unintentionally skipped a step" with waitlist buyers by immediately sending them "option-to-order" emails, something that led reservation holders to feel they were being skipped over.
However, Valve is now saying that's not the case. "Moving forward, anyone who comes off the waitlist will first receive a message from us confirming you've been added to the reservation queue and can expect an option-to-purchase email sometime after that," the company wrote. "Importantly, no one on the waitlist is leapfrogging over anyone currently holding a reservation; we're only dipping into waitlists if and when we reach the end of the reservation queue for that product and region."
If you're in the reservation queue or on the waitlist, Valve has provided clear information on what to expect. Reservation holders should receive an email offering the chance to purchase by the end of this year. If you're on the waitlist, "there is a chance you could be moved into reservations depending on which product you're on the list for; in those instances we will email you about your new reservation status first, with a purchase email to follow once your spot in that queue comes up."
The most important piece of info is aimed at all potential buyers. "For everyone receiving a purchase email: You must complete your purchase within 72 hours or we will move to the next person in line," Valve said.
As part of the announcement, Valve also unveiled two Steam Machine updates. FSR 4.1 is now available on Proton Experimental for titles supporting the FSR upgrade, it said. That refers to AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution designed to improve video quality through image upscaling and frame-generation technology. And if you want to build your own Steam Machine accessories, its CAD file is now available for download here.