KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • Valve plans three new devices for early 2026: Steam Controller, Steam Machine, Steam Frame
  • Stream Frame is a Wireless VR headset that can stream your entire Steam library and also run SteamOS on-device
  • Steam Machine is a small quiet PC running SteamOS for big-screen play
  • Steam Controller returns with Deck-style inputs: hall-effect sticks, trackpads, gyro and extra grip buttons

Valve is growing the Steam Deck family with three new bits of kit coming in early 2026: a next-gen Steam Controller, a compact Steam Machine for the living room, and Steam Frame — a wireless VR headset with controllers that also runs SteamOS. All three are tuned for Steam but remain open platforms. Pricing and exact dates will land after the new year. Here’s what’s promised so far and how it matters for players in the UAE.

Steam Controller: Deck DNA in a standalone pad

Valve is bringing back a controller built for PC libraries, not just console ports. It borrows the inputs that made Steam Deck flexible.

  • Magnetic (hall-effect) thumbsticks aimed at precision and no stick-drift
  • Full-size ABXY, d-pad, triggers and bumpers
  • Twin trackpads for mouse-like aim and menus
  • Gyro aiming and rear grip buttons
  • Works across PC, laptop, Steam Deck, Steam Machine and Steam Frame

Expect a pad that behaves like a mouse when you need it, and like a regular controller when you don’t. That matters for genres that never mapped cleanly to sticks — strategy games, sim builders, old school CRPGs. If you’ve followed our Steam Deck coverage, you know Valve’s been tightening the experience over time (like screen-off downloads on Deck) — the same thinking should help here. See our recent Steam Deck tip piece for context: Valve fixed the Deck’s most annoying battery drain.

Steam Machine: a tiny cube for big-screen PC gaming

Yes, “Steam Machine” is back, but this time as a quiet, small box that runs SteamOS — the same software base as Steam Deck.

  • Roughly a 6-inch (160mm) cube that fits under a TV or on a desk
  • SteamOS for the Deck-like UI and instant library access
  • Plays nice with the new Steam Controller and your existing peripherals
  • Built for living-room gaming without Windows overhead

Think console-style convenience with PC flexibility. If Valve and partners get thermals and acoustics right, this could be the “no-fuss” way to play your PC library in the lounge without a tower or dual-boot juggling.

Steam Frame: wireless VR that’s also a SteamOS PC

Steam Frame is the curveball. It’s a comfortable, cordless VR headset with controllers that can stream all your Steam games — VR and non-VR — and also run SteamOS natively.

  • Streams your entire Steam library (VR and flat games)
  • Full controller input works in PC VR and non-VR titles
  • Lightweight, wireless design focused on comfort
  • Powered by a Snapdragon-class chip, running SteamOS
  • Supports standalone play away from your PC

In plain English: you can treat it like a PC VR headset at home, then pop it in a bag for standalone games on the go. If you’re comparing headsets and mixed-reality gear, have a look at our UAE-flavoured guides: Vision Pro M5 update and UAE pricing and how to buy Samsung’s Galaxy XR from the UAE.

Availability and what it means for the UAE

Valve says all three devices will ship in the same regions as Steam Deck plus KOMODO territories.

  • Launch regions: US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan
  • Timing: “early 2026”; pricing and exact dates come after New Year
  • No Middle East markets on the list at announcement time

For UAE players, that likely means importing at launch if you don’t want to wait. Expect typical costs: device price + shipping + import fees. We’ll update when MENA retail changes, but for now the pattern mirrors Steam Deck: many local users bought via forwarders and regional resellers. For your Steam library planning in the meantime, bookmark our Steam sale round-ups with UAE times: best Autumn Sale deals.

Why this matters for PC gaming

Valve isn’t replacing the PC; it’s smoothing the edges around it. One controller that handles mouse-heavy games. A tiny box that puts SteamOS on your TV. A VR headset that can stream your library or go standalone.

  • Fewer launchers and drivers to fight on the sofa
  • Wider input support for genres that are awkward on pads
  • A clearer path into VR that doesn’t force you to choose between tethered and standalone
  • More reasons for developers to target Steam Input and SteamOS features

If the software keeps pace — especially SteamOS updates, streaming latency, VR tracking, and battery life — the ecosystem could feel far more “plug in and play” than the last time Steam Machines were a thing.

When do the Steam Controller, Steam Machine and Steam Frame launch?

Valve is targeting early 2026. Exact dates and pricing will be shared after the start of the year.

Will these devices work without a Steam Deck?

Yes. They’re designed to play nicely together, but each works on its own. Steam Machine and Steam Frame run SteamOS. The Controller pairs with PCs, laptops, Deck, Machine and Frame.

Is the new Steam Machine just a Windows mini-PC?

No. It runs SteamOS, the same Linux-based system as Steam Deck, for a console-like Steam experience.