Steam Machine Skin Companion Cube Opens for Preorder
dbrand’s Steam Machine skin in Companion Cube form is up for preorder, with prices starting at US$99.95 and a full version at US$129.95.
JAKARTA — Steam Machine Skin Companion Cube Opens for Preorder, with dbrand now taking orders for a Portal-inspired shell that starts at US$99.95 and rises to US$129.95 for the full package. Android Authority reported the preorder details based on information from dbrand.
The accessory is aimed at Valve’s Steam Machine, the console-PC device that has already pulled in attention from gamers who want something built for the living room. This version goes well beyond a simple decal. dbrand says it built a physical 3D enclosure shaped around the Companion Cube, one of the most recognizable objects from Portal.
The pricing is plain enough. It is premium. And that is the point. dbrand is betting that fans will pay for nostalgia, display value and the kind of hardware personality that makes a device feel less like a box under the TV and more like a collectible.
Steam Machine Skin Companion Cube is a 3D shell
dbrand describes the product as a Companion Cube skin, but the company is really selling a molded enclosure rather than a thin wrap. The shell uses polyurethane and polycarbonate, and the design mirrors the game prop closely enough that the connection is obvious at a glance.
That distinction matters for buyers. A sticker changes the look. This changes the hardware’s presence. The Companion Cube version wraps around the Steam Machine in a way that makes the device part of the joke, part of the fandom and part of the setup all at once.
There is also a practical side. The shell includes cutouts for airflow, adjustable-height feet, a removable top for the front I/O ports and a pass-through strip for the Steam Machine’s illuminated LED bar. That means the accessory is not just there to sit and look clever. It is built to stay on while the device is in use.
So this is not costume for the sake of costume. It is an attempt to balance function with theme, which is where many gaming accessories fall apart. Block a vent, cover a port, make the cables a mess, and buyers notice fast. dbrand appears to have worked around those problems.
What buyers get for US$99.95 and US$129.95
The cheapest preorder option is called the Poverty Cube. It costs US$99.95 and includes the cube itself, with no extra accessories. That price buys the shell and the visual effect, nothing more.
The full version costs US$129.95. It comes with a more elaborate package: a special box that opens into a Test Chamber diorama, a button stand for displaying the cube, a suede cloth with a cake motif that dbrand says is authentic, and a Steam Controller skin with a Test Chamber theme.
The US$30 difference is not minor for a side accessory. Still, that gap is familiar in the PC hardware world, where companies sell a base item for casual buyers and a fully dressed-up version for collectors who want the complete set.
dbrand is taking preorders on its website now. The company says the deluxe version is scheduled to ship in September, while the basic package follows in October. That schedule means the accessory will arrive soon after the Steam Machine itself, which should help keep interest warm.
Why the Companion Cube still sells
Valve’s Companion Cube has real staying power because it was never just an object in Portal. Players bonded with it. They carried it, relied on it and joked about it. That gave the cube a strange emotional weight that few game props ever achieve.
dbrand is turning that memory into hardware design. It is a smart move. Fans do not just buy a cube-shaped shell because it looks unusual. They buy it because the reference lands instantly, and because the object says something about the person using it.
This is also a reminder of how gaming hardware now sells beyond raw specs. Valve may be pushing Steam Machine as a living-room-friendly system, but the ecosystem around it matters just as much. Accessories help define whether a product feels like a niche machine or a platform with identity.
For readers, that has a direct consumer angle. A device that sits next to a TV competes on more than frame rates and storage. It also competes on aesthetics, personality and how easily it fits into the room. That is why a shell like this can matter even at a steep price. It gives owners a way to make the machine look intentional, not generic.
It also shows where the market is heading. Brands like dbrand can move quickly when a new device has a strong fan base, and preorder demand tends to test that appetite early. If the Steam Machine keeps drawing this kind of accessory interest, Valve’s hardware push may have more traction than a specs sheet alone would suggest.
The preorder window is open now, the deluxe bundle is set for September shipping, and the basic version follows in October — a tight timetable for a product that starts at US$99.95 and already has fans treating it like a display piece.
