300 lucky folks are chomping at the bit over Valve’s latest announcement.

Valve to Ship Steam Machine Prototypes and Announce Winners

Did you enter to win? If so, start crossing those fingers (toes and whatever else you have to cross) because Valve will be announcing 300 winners at 2pm PST today. These lucky bastards will each receive a prototype Steam Machine that is all set to ship out to on December 13th, just a mere 2 days from now. Sadly, if you are not currently residing in the U.S., then you are not eligible to participate in the giveaway, or the beta test. Valve insists that this limitation was nessecary –

“Because the alternative was to delay the whole beta beyond the point when we’d be able to incorporate any feedback into the 2014 products.”

Valve says SteamOS will be ready to download for anyone who wants it, when the Steam Machines ship. Additionally, the in-home streaming beta will also begin soon. Now the long wait to CES begins, when we will learn more about the Steam Machine coming to the retail market.