GoKawiilA hardware reviewer accidentally broke the embargo for the Steam Controller, revealing its $99 MSRP. The original video has since been taken down from YouTube, but one enthusiast was quick to record the video and share it on X via Streamable. The video is just about four minutes long, with the reviewer saying that the dual trackpads are the standout feature of this controller. They shared the Steam Controller’s price near the end of the video, saying, “It’s not cheap, but it’s only $25 more than a PS5 controller.”
Valve originally announced the Steam Controller in late 2025, alongside the new Steam Machine and Steam Frame VR headset. These were initially slated for an early 2026 launch, but the current chip crisis has forced the company to change the release date from “early 2026” to “first half of 2026” to “this year.” Some enthusiasts are losing hope that the living room PC console will actually arrive because of unreasonable memory prices pushing the cost for the Steam Machine to unreasonable levels. This is especially true as Valve says that it won’t subsidize the hardware, unlike other console makers such as Sony and Nintendo.
It seems that the same is true for the Steam Controller, which is significantly more expensive at $99. By comparison, the basic Xbox Wireless Controller has an MSRP of $64.99, while the DualSense controller for the Sony PlayStation 5 only costs $74.99. Even the Pro Controller for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 are only priced at $79.99 and $89.99 respectively. This makes the Steam Controller one of the more expensive options when it comes to basic controllers, although it’s still half the MSRP of premium options like the Xbox Elite Series 2 and DualSense Edge.
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Nevertheless, the dual touchpads on the Steam Controller make it quite a unique controller among the many options available out there. This feature makes it easier to use with a PC-like interface, which is quite useful especially as the Steam Machine is basically just a mini-PC running SteamOS. You can also use it with other operating systems, like Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, although it will never beat the utility of a mouse and keyboard, especially for specific genres like FPS and MOBA.
Valve hasn’t announced an official release date for any of its new hardware yet. Nevertheless, this accidental review video release gives us hope that the Steam devices are arriving sooner, rather than later, and that their prices remain within reasonable range.
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