Valve has no plans for more Steam Machine faceplates, but CAD files are coming so you can make your own

Valve has confirmed it has no specific plans to release additional faceplates for the Steam Machine beyond the two that already ship with the 2TB model. The news comes straight from Valve engineers Pierre-Loup Griffais and Yazan Aldehayyat, who spoke about customisation options for the new hardware.

The 2TB Steam Machine comes with red fabric and solid walnut faceplates, and Pierre-Loup was blunt about what's next: "Right now the two plates that come with the two terabyte SKU are what we're doing, and we don't really have any specific plans around what else [we might do]." That said, Valve isn't locking the door on third-party or DIY options. The studio plans to release CAD files and full dimensional specs — including magnet attachment points — so that makers, modders, and tinkerers can design their own. Valve already released CAD files for the new Steam Controller, and the Steam Machine files are expected to follow, though they weren't available at time of writing.

The Steam Machine is Valve's compact living-room PC running SteamOS, designed to bring the Steam library to the TV without a full desktop setup. The interchangeable faceplate system was one of the more eye-catching design choices at reveal, drawing comparisons to the kind of shell-swapping customisation that made certain handheld consoles popular. The CAD release approach is consistent with Valve's broader open-hardware philosophy around Steam Deck accessories and controller modding.

The DIY angle comes with a notable cautionary tale attached. Peripheral maker Dbrand teased a Companion Cube-themed housing for the Steam Machine and began taking orders — but it turned out they never had Valve's permission to sell it commercially. Refunds have since been issued. The distinction matters: Valve's objection was to commercial sales without authorisation, not to fan-made creations. Build your own Companion Cube faceplate for personal use and you're almost certainly fine — just don't try to sell it.