- Valve has just announced a new Steam controller
- It launches in Spring 2026
- It seems like a huge upgrade compared to the company’s last attempt
Valve has just unveiled a selection of hardware products, including an all-new Steam Controller that seems set to right the wrongs of the past.
The controller is compatible with “any device that runs Steam” according to Valve, which means PCs, PC handhelds, and the new Steam Machine and Steam Frame systems. It works with iOS and Android too, though seemingly only through the Steam Link app.
In addition to a Bluetooth connection and wired USB Type-C capabilities, it comes with the Steam Controller Puck – a plug and play dongle with a pre-paired low-latency connection. The Puck can also be used to charge the controller, on top of your usual wired charging options.
In terms of battery life, Valve claims that the controller is capable of more than 35 hours of play time on a single charge – an impressive figure that would put it up there with battery life titans like the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.
You can view a selection of key specs below.
|
Compatibility |
PC, Mac, iOS / Android via Steam Link |
|
Connectivity |
Steam Controller Puck, USB, Bluetooth |
|
Battery life |
35+ hours |
|
Inputs |
TMR magnetic thumbsticks, grip sense, ABXY buttons, D-pad, L/R triggers, L/R bumpers, View button, Menu button, Steam button, QAM buttons, four remappable grip buttons, 2x haptic trackpads |
|
Haptics |
HD haptics |
|
Additional features |
Steam Controller Puck charging |
Lesson’s learned?
With this new announcement it’s hard not to think back to the launch of original Steam Controller, which dropped in November 2015.
Although undeniably innovative due to its focus on compatibility with mouse and keyboard games, it was an unpopular product that was discontinued just four years after its launch.
This new iteration seems like a decent improvement though, mainly thanks to its additional thumbsticks. The first Steam Controller featured just one small thumbstick that was awkwardly placed and difficult to control.
This new design has two, and is backed up by tunnelling magneto-resistance (TMR) – the current gold standard in thumbstick technology. Thanks to the use of small magnets, TMR thumbsticks are more durable and reliable than traditional potentiometer sensors (which require physical contact and are therefor more prone to wear).
I’m not convinced by the controller’s shape, however, which appears… a tad unergonomic to say the least. I’m hopeful it at least feels better than it looks in the hands and there are still plenty of interesting features here to get excited about. I’m most looking forward to trying out the grip sense, which seems like it will be a blessing in first-person shooter games.
Thanks to this addition holding down the grips activates the gyroscope, ideal if you need fine aiming.
Will this rather odd-looking controller resonate with consumers? We’ll just have to wait and see when it arrives next year.
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dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood)
