Scalpers are flipping reservations for Valve’s new Steam Frame VR headset at nearly double the retail price, with listings on eBay reaching $2,000 for the 1TB model just days after the company opened its sign-up process.

Valve sent out reservation confirmations on Monday following a randomized lottery system, notifying some Steam account holders they would get a chance to purchase the headset while placing others on a waitlist. The 256GB Steam Frame kit carries a $1,059 price tag, while the 1TB version sells for $1,299. On eBay, however, the lower-tier model is being listed at $1,700 and up, with the higher-capacity version commanding around $2,000. At least some of these listings have already sold.

The community response has been swift. Users on the /r/steam subreddit have organized a coordinated effort to report scalper listings to eBay, and the marketplace appears to be responding. One user, /u/obscenemexican, reported receiving a flood of confirmation emails from eBay indicating that flagged content had been removed. “Many down, many more to go, keep it up guys!” the user wrote.

Other members of the community have taken a more direct approach by identifying scalpers’ Steam usernames visible in the eBay listings and reporting those accounts to Valve. User /u/noonyIRL outlined a strategy: contact the seller, request the Steam ID tied to the reservation to verify its legitimacy, and then report the account to Valve if the ID is provided. If the seller refuses, the buyer can report the listing to eBay for failing to provide adequate evidence. “Either way, this hits their account, not just their listing,” the user said.

Valve’s Anti-Scalping Measures

Valve attempted to curb reseller activity by implementing a random lottery system rather than the first-come, first-served approach it used for the Steam Controller, which drew criticism. Anyone with a Steam account in good standing could sign up for the headset, select their preferred model, and wait for Valve to randomize the entries. The company also limits each account to a single head-mounted display.

Despite these safeguards, the system has not prevented determined resellers from listing their reservations on eBay before purchase links have even been distributed. Valve prohibits transferring invitations to other accounts, but once a buyer takes possession of a unit, the company has no mechanism to prevent a resale.

eBay’s presale policies require merchants to guarantee fulfillment within 40 business days of accepting payment. Since Steam Frame pre-orders could ship imminently, some listings technically comply with the marketplace’s timeframe. Still, eBay has acknowledged enough complaints to nullify a number of listings, though the rules around flipping pre-orders remain open to interpretation.

Supply Constraints Loom

Concerns about limited stock have surrounded the Steam Frame since before its announcement. Both the Steam Machine and Steam Controller have experienced strained supplies, and it appears Valve has not assembled sufficient quantities of the new wearable to satisfy demand. Survey data from Steamframeout indicates that more users have been placed on the waitlist than have received reservation emails — a situation that favors scalpers and leaves many gamers potentially waiting until at least 2027 to secure a unit at retail price.

The Steam Frame arrives at a particularly challenging moment for hardware pricing, with an ongoing RAM shortage pushing component costs higher. Even at its official price, the headset represents a significant investment, and the inflated secondary market prices only compound the frustration for Valve’s core audience.

For now, the battle between scalpers and the community continues, with eBay removals providing some victories but the fundamental supply-demand imbalance showing no immediate signs of resolution.