Pre-order reservations for the Steam Deck's 512GB model are already being sold on eBay for ridiculous prices by scalpers only a day after the handheld console was announced. Valve's upcoming portable console will give gamers access to Steam's entire digital library of games. The console will boast a number of key features which will make even the most demanding or complex PC titles accessible.
On Thursday, Valve announced the Steam Deck's release date and price, with the unexpected reveal taking the gaming industry by storm. The system's appearance and portability have been widely compared to the Nintendo Switch, which puts a similar emphasis on its hybrid console nature. Like the Switch, the Steam Deck will also be compatible with a separately sold dock, allowing users to connect the system to a TV or monitor for big-screen play. The all-in-one PC handheld will not only be powerful enough to run even the most high-end titles, but it will also be capable of using non-Steam stores and running different operating systems. Pre-orders for the Steam Deck opened today, July 16, but several Steam Deck pre-order errors have led to frustration from potential buyers. The massive influx of would-be buyers attracted not only desperate customers, but scalpers looking to buy and resell their Steam Deck reservations at exorbitant prices.
As demonstrated by NPD Group's Mat Piscatella on Twitter, numerous Steam Deck 512GB and other storage option pre-orders are now being sold -and bought - on eBay for ridiculous prices. A glimpse at the eBay storefront shows that Steam Decks are being listed for as high as $5,000, with the average price appearing to be around $1,500. These sellers promise to deliver their pre-ordered Steam Deck to the winning bidder once the console releases in December 2021.
While the resale of reserved consoles has inevitably popped up, Valve has taken steps to prevent scalpers from pre-ordering the Steam Deck. The system's pre-order process works on a reservation system, with customers paying a $5 fee to reserve a pre-order spot. The actual pre-orders will then be made later in the year, closer to the Steam Deck's December 2021 release, by those with reservations. Reservations and orders are limited to one per account, which acts as a major deterrent to scalpers looking to purchase the console in bulk for later resale. (This system, coupled with a huge influx of customers to Steam's servers, resulted in today's technical difficulties.)
The pre-order process for the Steam Deck has been handled quite well by Valve, but the extreme excitement for the console was bound to cause some issues. It is difficult to prevent resellers from making a profit off the excitement, but selling pre-orders for upwards of $2,000 is preposterous. Unfortunately, as errors with the Steam storefront continue to prevent gamers from ordering the console, many scalpers will likely make significant amounts of money from Steam Deck reselling, and pre-order reservations may only be the beginning.
Valve's Steam Deck is available for reservation now and will begin shipping in December 2021.
Source: Mat Piscatella/Twitter, eBay