GoKawiilA decade on from the original Steam Controller, Valve is back with a modern update, ditching the unwieldy dimensions, splayed grips, and odd trackpads, instead adopting a much more conventional design approach—and some slightly different trackpads.
This second-generation Steam Controller arrives at an odd time, though. The new joypad is part of Valve's renewed push into the hardware space, meant to be used alongside the console-like Steam Machine gaming PC—itself another revamped foray into the field—and the Steam Frame, the company’s new VR headset. Except both of those are delayed, largely because the AI bubble is sucking up RAM, GPUs, and CPUs with the gravitational pull of a black hole. At the time of writing, neither of Valve’s other projects has a release date or confirmed price.
However, gamepads don’t typically need RAM, GPUs, or CPUs, making the new Steam Controller pretty much the only piece of hardware Valve can release for the time being, and for a relatively reasonable price. The Steam Controller arrives divorced from its intended context, making some of its more impressive aspects hard to appreciate.
All Decked Out
Photograph: Matt Kamen
The new Steam Controller is pretty impressive. It boasts a ridiculous number of inputs and features, is almost overwhelmingly customizable to ensure compatibility with just about any game on Steam, and, barring one small caveat, is rather comfortable to use.