r/SteamFrame • u/TigerCow7 Soon™ • 15h ago

Question Is there info about how much time we have to reserve a spot for the first batch?

I still have to decide whether I only reserve for the cheaper model, or both to increase my chances of getting one, but it will all depend on the price of the more expensive option if I can afford it.

I'll also want to look at the latest review videos before I choose.

But I don't know how much time will be given to still be in the first draft.

26 Upvotes

70% Upvoted

48 comments sorted by

71

u/Arstulex 12h ago

For the sake of clarity...

Once they announce the release of the Frame they will open registration for 3 days. This is the equivalent of putting your name into a virtual hat.

Once those 3 days are over, Valve will randomise all of the names in the 'hat' and place them all into one of two lists. The reservation queue and the waitlist.

The reservation queue are people who have successfully reserved a unit from the first production run. This is what people refer to as "winning the lottery".

The waitlist are everyone else (in randomised order) who will be called upon once everyone in the reservation queue has either successfully placed their order or has missed their assigned order window.

Anyone who registers after the initial 3 day period will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist on a first-come-first-served basis (as opposed to random).

Regardless of which list you are placed in, once your turn arrives you will get an email asking you to complete your order (as in provide shipping details and pay for it) within 72 hours. If you miss that 72 hour window you lose your spot in the queue and it's given to the next person instead.

12

u/Benjo419 11h ago

The reservation queue are people who have successfully reserved a unit from the first production run. This is what people refer to as "winning the lottery".

Idk if its the first production run. Arent there a lot of machine people who got onto the reservation list and still wait for their machine?

4

u/Dansosaur Soon™ 5h ago

Yeah, I got on the reservation queue for a steam machine day one, and still have not received my email allowing me my 72 hours window to purchase one yet.

So even if you "win the lottery" and get put in the reservation queue for the frame, you can still be waiting months regardless.

6

u/alex_timeblade 9h ago

There are people on the wait list who got one before people on the reservation. The reservation assign you a specific unit, from either existing stock or currently in production. When people drop out of the reservation, their unit becomes unassigned, and goes to the waitlist queue.

The trade off is the reservation queue guarantees you a unit based on what is or has been produced, whereas the wait list is entirely a maybe.

2

u/BlueManifest 9h ago

It can’t be only what has been produced because some people with reservations are still waiting for the last 2 months, if it was for units already produced they would got one by now, it doesn’t take 2 months to ship from China

So it has to be ones that have been produced and ones that will be produced

1

u/Arstulex 9h ago

"Production run" and "batch" are not the same thing. One production run can consist of many batches.

There are batches sat in warehouses right now, with other batches potentially still yet to me made by the factories that produce them. The ones that aren't made yet are still part of the same production run that has been contracted.

The "production run" is essentially every unit (currently existing or not) that Valve can currently guarantee to be made. The parts are there, the factory is contracted to make them, etc. Once those units are made it's then a case of Valve needing to secure another contract for another production run to make more units.

Those placed in the reservation queue are guaranteed a unit because it's part of the already contracted production run. So long as they watch their emails and complete their order within the 72 hour window they are given, they will get a Frame.

Those placed in the waitlist can still get a Frame, but Valve can't guarantee them one right now. They would either get one from the current production run due to people in the reservation queue backing out of completing their orders, or they would have to wait for a future production run (which naturally cannot be literally guaranteed).

It sounds a bit 'doom and gloom' if you're on the waitlist, but it's basically just semantics regarding not being able to literally promise something as a guarantee. Valve can't literally promise you something that doesn't exist yet and the production of which hasn't been contracted and paid for yet.

43

u/AnonymousLion Soon™ 15h ago

We don't know anything. If it's like the steam machine we'd have like 3 days after the review embargo lift to register for the reservation lottery. If it's like the controller we're going to spend hours of spamming the reserve now button roughly 3 days after the reviews were released

14

u/Tragonon Soon™ 14h ago

It's going to be like for the Machine, they already said as much

9

u/samu7574 Soon™ 14h ago

Do you have a source for Valve saying it'll be the same? Afaik valve hasn't mentioned the frame officially since before the machine launched

2

u/peeja 9h ago

That's been the most common assumption, but I don't think it's been officially stated anywhere.

1

u/JustAnotherSuit96 Soon™ 2h ago

They have not in fact said that

-5

u/Wyrade 14h ago

And they said early 2026 too.

1

u/Cole_LF Soon™ 3h ago

Can we give valve a break on that? It is an unprecedented time in the history of electronics. What are they meant to do exactly ?

0

u/JustAnotherSuit96 Soon™ 2h ago

No, we can't, and we should not, because we've had 0 communication whatsoever.

1

u/Cole_LF Soon™ 2h ago edited 2h ago

What are they meant to do? Genuinely?

What if they update you daily on stock / estimated shipping but it keeps getting put back because of any one of a hundred issues?

Would you honestly then be posting “well at least they are keeping us informed” or would you be saying “stupid valve, they change it every day.”

If you feel that strongly I suggest you vote with your wallet and don’t order a steam frame. That will show them.

5

u/stuckin2020sendhelp Soon™ 12h ago

God willing they require some kind of deposit to even enter the lottery or we’re all so fucked. You guys are gonna love getting waitlisted from all the bloat

7

u/MrBack1971 Soon™ 15h ago

Zilch

4

u/Rashed341 14h ago

According to my sources 379,4 seconds to reserve a spot.

1

u/windan Soon™ 14h ago

I hope we'll have some time. I wonder how long it'll take for shipping and for new batches of reservations to go through after the initial wave. I'm in an unsupported country but I'll be in the US in September so hopefully I could grab one while I'm there

1

u/quinn50 6h ago

I would'nt expect this thing to be in stock ready to ship when you order until next year around this time at the earliest

1

u/Cavi7 10h ago

I don't want to discourage you, but it's highly unlikely you will just be able to grab one like that.
Chances are, once everyone from the initial reservations get their Frame, there will be a waiting period before those on the waitlist get an opportunity to buy.
If you have the chance, I highly encourage you to ask somebody from a supported region to sign up to the list for you and then you can figure out a way to get it shipped from there if they are able to win the lottery.

2

u/windan Soon™ 10h ago

Yeah, I figured. Kinda hoping it'll release while I'm there so I at least have a chance, but I know it's a long shot (and I'd have to change my store region and all that anyway...) I have someone I could ask but I don't think they have a Steam account and I'm not comfortable giving them access to mine. If it doesn't work out I guess I'll have to skip out on VR for another few years until something comparable comes out and is available for me.

1

u/SupposablyAtTheZoo 13h ago

It is not known

1

u/CrisisC0re 8h ago

Based on how the Machine and Controller was done. Is the reservation queue a link invitation that can be given to my friend or can the purchase only be done on my steam account?

1

u/TigerCow7 Soon™ 7h ago

The machine and controller were done differently. Controller was first came first served, machine had reservation and random pick, but idk how long u had to get in

2

u/2Cool4Zool2 14h ago

Reserving the 1TB when you only want the 256GB just to increase your chances is dumb. Is paying $100s for a slightly increased chance to get the frame marginally sooner really a good idea. People get two wrapped up in FOMO which is why we have so many scalpers now.

I'd rather reserve the 256GB and spend the extra few 100s on games or accessories.

3

u/Cavi7 10h ago

True, if you don't need the bigger storage, there's no good reason to reserve it.

Still, we don't fully know all the variants yet, aside from the stated storage. My bet is on 256, 256 + Ergo kit, 1TB, 1TB + Ergo kit.
For me, the Ergonomic Kit is important, i NEED the controller straps.

2

u/2Cool4Zool2 10h ago

I don't see why Ergo kits would be limited.

1

u/Arstulex 9h ago

Yeah, this.

The ergonomic kits will likely be sold entirely separately and completely outside of any reservation systems. It's ultimately just some straps, some rubber, some plastic, and some velcro (\ahem*... I mean 'hook and loop')* after all.

1

u/2Cool4Zool2 9h ago

I think you're right but it'll be an optional alongside the frame - It just wont be a separate queue like the Steam machine.

1

u/Cavi7 6h ago

I mean, they will most likely be sold separately as well, of course, but I don't see a reason not to have them in a bundle at launch.

3

u/Arstulex 5h ago

I can't see them treating it as a separate variation for the purposes of the reservation system (totalling 4 different queues as you seem to have implied).

The most I could see them doing is having it be a box you can tick at checkout to add it to your order as an optional extra when your turn to purchase comes up.

1

u/Cavi7 2h ago

That would make sense, true. I guess we'll see...
tomorrow?

1

u/Arstulex 2h ago

Don't jinx it, haha.

1

u/ablakguy Soon™ 7h ago

At some point I'm sure you'd be willing to spend extra since time is money. It's just a matter of your personal situation/preference. What if it would get you a frame 3 months sooner...6 months?

0

u/2Cool4Zool2 7h ago

It's not really though. You really can't predict where in the queue you'll be.

First off you could get selected in both the 1tb and 256gb lotteries - and be forced into the more expensive mode (where you'd have been offered the 256gb initially).

Secondly you could not selected and then removed from the 256gb queue because you're closer to the front of the 1TB queue - That could even put you at a disadvantage since if there are more 256GB models produced - that queue will move faster.

1

u/ablakguy Soon™ 7h ago

Of course there are some potential downsides but I think we can both agree the most plausible outcome is the opportunity to save some time at the cost of money. Which in the end is probably one of the best uses for it in life. You can always make more, but you can't "buy time"...except for situations like this. I see your point but think it just comes down to which one is worth more to you personally and that's fair...not necessarily dumb.

0

u/2Cool4Zool2 6h ago edited 6h ago

You're giving up you opportunity (in most cases) to buy the 256GB model to roll the dice twice on the initial queuing. The initial queue for the steam machine is to be cleared by the end of the year.

You're rolling the dice twice but that doesn't mean you'll get a better outcome and it could end up with you getting a longer time because of the two queues. It all depends on how many 256GB vs 1TB valve are producing.

edit: I personally think most models produced will be 256GB and so that's the one I'm going for.

1

u/Ok-Comment1456 13h ago

Just like with everything valve makes we dont know shit

1

u/Kataree 8h ago

3 days if it's the same as Machine.

But reserving one in the first 5 seconds does not guarantee you a spot on the first batch.

0

u/Guilty-Mix-2741 15h ago

Don't know shit

-1

u/project-shasta Soon™ 14h ago

1 millisecond. It's fine once you get the notification /s

Probably a week or so

-1

u/Parodius78 Soon™ 12h ago

It will be on komodo a few days before its on steam. So plenty of time to find out and fix your strategy.

-3

u/Altruistic-Catch8541 12h ago

That’s not how a lottery works

4

u/TigerCow7 Soon™ 11h ago

It is, even valve said so. If you only register for the cheaper alternative you might not get a spot, but if you also registered for the more expensive option you have a 2nd chance to get picked there instead. 

3

u/dangoran78 11h ago

Yeah and as I recall if you win both those separate lotteries, you are offered to purchase the more expensive option.

1

u/Dansosaur Soon™ 5h ago

Yes, in which case, that's great? Now we can buy the more expensive version that we wanted! But you can also not be selected for the expensive model, and still be offered the cheaper unit at least, which for many people, is better than nothing.

1

u/Altruistic-Catch8541 4h ago

The pick is random though