Steam Machine Launch Chaos: Scalpers, eBay Flippers & an Unlicensed Companion Cube

The Steam Machine's launch window is already proving turbulent, and the hardware hasn't even reached most buyers' hands yet. Despite Valve's efforts to curb scalping through a randomised reservation queue capped at one unit per customer, resellers have found a workaround: flipping the reservations themselves on eBay. Listings have appeared charging as much as $2,900 for a queue slot, and at least one reservation has already changed hands with a $235 markup, according to reports from Eurogamer and PCGamesN. Adding fuel to the fire, Valve has quietly scrubbed its bold "4K at 60FPS" marketing claim from the official Steam Machine page amid growing scrutiny over the console's real-world performance capabilities.

If the scalping and spec controversies weren't enough, a separate — and entirely self-inflicted — debacle has engulfed accessories maker Dbrand. The company designed and sold a Portal-inspired Companion Cube case for the Steam Machine, pouring over 1,000 hours of engineering into the product, without ever seeking Valve's permission to use the iconic IP. Valve responded swiftly, sending Dbrand down what Rock Paper Shotgun aptly described as "the legal incinerator," forcing the company to cancel the product entirely and issue full refunds to customers. In a candid public statement, Dbrand admitted that selling a product built around Valve's intellectual property "without ever asking" was "pretty stupid" — a rare moment of corporate self-awareness that has done little to soften the blow for fans who had already fallen in love with the design.

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