Valve is looking to stop scalpers and bots from getting the Steam Deck, using novel ways to defeat hoarders by leveraging the power of their storefront.
Valve released the Steam Deck, their handheld PC that has more power than the Nintendo Switch. With the next-gen consoles having issues with supply, Valve is pushing to stop scalpers. They are doing so by adding not only a reservation fee but a one-per-account limit too.
Valve uses Steam to stop scalpers
The internet has seen what new hardware releases can pull. Scalpers, bots, and hoarders know the buying power of gamers. Together with the shortage, scalpers made bank over the last year.
Valve is looking to stop this via their Steam accounts. For starters, fans can only order the device from Steam accounts within the target regions. These include the US, UK, EU, and Canada.
Accounts can only buy one unit per customer, and buyers would need to pay a $5 reservation fee. This fee is there to deter bots from mass spamming the storefront.
Valve also detailed that accounts should have done at least one purchase before June 30, 2021. If not, accounts can only buy 48 hours after the initial pre-order date or after activation.
“The main reason for reservations is to ensure an orderly and fair ordering process for customers when Steam Deck inventory becomes available,” said the FAQ. “The additional fee gives us a clearer signal of intent to purchase, which gives us better data to balance supply chain, inventory, and regional distribution leading up to launch.
“We are aware of potential unauthorized resellers, and as an additional safeguard to ensure a fair ordering process, we’ve added a requirement that the reserver has made a purchase on Steam prior to June 2021 for the first 48 hours of reservation availability.”
Valve boss expects to sell “millions of units”
The Steam Deck is one of the best surprises of 2021. It’s a PC gamer’s best choice for portability and is a better option than other handhelds like the Switch. Valve wants it on more gamer hands, and the storefront is doing wonders on this end.
“Our view is, if we’re doing this right, we’re going to be selling these in millions of units, and it’s clearly going to be establishing a product category that ourselves and other PC manufacturers are going to be able to participate in,” said Gabe Newell.
“And that’s going to have long-term benefits for us. So that’s sort of the frame in which we’re thinking about this.”
The Steam deck will be available for reservation starting today. The device will launch on December 2021.
Featured image courtesy of ContraNetwork/Youtube Screenshot