In a recent interview with Digital Foundry, Valve engineers Pierre-Loup Griffais and Yazan Aldehayyat have confirmed their desire to make the Steam Machine more budget-friendly. However, they warned that any significant price drops aren't imminent due to ongoing component shortages and rising costs in the gaming hardware market. The team emphasized that the Steam Machine is meant to strengthen the bond between gamers and their games, not serve as a profit-making device. Unfortunately, with Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra predicting the AI-driven RAM shortage to last until 2027, it seems gamers will have to wait for a more affordable Steam Machine for some time. Valve unveiled its Steam Machine console in November 2025, and while it initially warned of steep prices, it only announced its official price earlier this week - $1,049 for the 512GB model and $1,349 or $1,428 for the 2TB version bundled with a Steam Controller. For more insights into Valve's console, check out IGN's 8/10 Steam Machine review, or learn why the company is reluctant to subsidize the device and its stance on RAM companies. Michael Cripe, a freelance writer for IGN, brings you this news update. Follow him on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).