Steam Frame rollout triggers waitlists and eBay scalping

Valve’s rollout of the Steam Frame has led to significant consumer frustration and the emergence of a secondary market on eBay. Following a lottery held on September 17 to determine access to the first batch of devices, a community survey of over 35,000 participants revealed that only 44.7% secured a reservation, while 51.6% were placed on a waitlist.

This scarcity has triggered a rise in scalping and scam attempts on eBay. Sellers are listing highly inflated offers for the hardware, sometimes claiming to possess developer kits they do not actually own. Additionally, some bad actors are using screenshots of queue confirmations as fraudulent proof of reservation to deceive potential buyers. Valve’s current system places new registrants at the end of the waitlist, which continues to grow as demand outpaces initial availability.