Valve may be quietly building up inventory for two major hardware products, according to newly surfaced shipping records and observations from longtime Valve watcher Brad Lynch.
One notable delivery arrived in Los Angeles on June 10, when the German container ship Posen completed a two-week trip from Shanghai. Lynch says the cargo was very likely part of the first mass-production shipment of the Steam Frame, Valve’s upcoming gaming headset.
Import data indicates that Valve’s logistics partner, Ceva, unloaded nearly 32 metric tons of goods labeled “Virtual Reality Devices” on the company’s behalf. After accounting for the roughly 3,700 kilograms attributed to five 40-foot shipping containers, that would leave about 13 metric tons of actual product.
That figure does not necessarily translate to a huge number of headsets. At 654 grams, or about 1.44 pounds, for each unit with a pair of wand controllers, rough estimates suggest the shipment may represent fewer than 20,000 devices. Even so, the arrival would mark a meaningful step toward a broader launch.
Separate records also suggest Valve has been steadily receiving shipments of what appear to be Steam Machine consoles. Since April 23, “Game Consoles” cargo totaling about 141 metric tons has reportedly arrived in 12,600-kilogram containers.
There are signs that not every recent console shipment was tied to the Steam Machine, however. Based on container weights, Valve also appears to have received three Steam Deck shipments in May — two on May 18 and another on May 30. Those containers were listed at a heavier 14,500 kilograms, which aligns with the weight pattern previously associated with Valve’s “Game Console” imports before the Steam Machine was announced.
Valve confirmed days ago that both the Steam Machine and Steam Frame will launch this summer, and has signaled that it had to rethink prices because of RAMageddon. Even if they’re pricey, though, they may sell out quickly.
