Steam Controller sells out globally in 30 minutes, crashes Japan's official site

Valve's new Steam Controller sold out globally within 30 minutes of its May 4 launch. In Japan, demand crashed KOMODO's official distribution site shortly after sales opened at 1 AM Beijing time on May 5.

Getting one required luck. Simultaneous traffic from thousands of users made the site nearly inaccessible. Some players spent hours completing orders, while others hit payment errors at checkout. Valve acknowledged server capacity was overwhelmed but provided no restock timeline.

The hardware delivers. At $99, you get wired, 2.4GHz wireless, and Bluetooth connectivity across Steam PC, Steam Deck, and mobile Steam Link apps. Two haptic touchpads, four customizable back grip buttons, a 6-axis gyroscope, and multiple haptic motors come standard. The symmetrical stick layout suits most grip styles.

Value depends on use case. 677 yuan (roughly $99) isn't cheap in the controller market, but Steam ecosystem users tend to embrace official hardware. Japan shipments start May 11, delayed slightly by Golden Week holidays. Some users secured units by refreshing official channels—watch those pages if you're interested.

Worth waiting for restock? Heavy Steam users, especially those on Steam Deck or streaming to handhelds, will benefit from the touchpads and gyro controls. Casual PC gamers have plenty of cheaper alternatives. Valve clearly underestimated demand—whether supply stabilizes remains to be seen.