To mark the 10th anniversary of the original release of the now-discontinued Steam Controller, rumors are once again circulating that Valve will release an updated version, and a reliable internal source has reportedly obtained information regarding the design of the updated peripheral. The source also claims that Valve will be releasing the new Steam Controller to the public soon, although no specific date was provided.
There have been several rumors about actual Steam-adjacent products in 2025. There's also a theory that Valve will announce a wireless VR gaming headset in the near future that could be called “Steam Frame.” Now it looks like an updated Steam controller could also be announced at the same time, inspired by the design of the popular Steam deck.
The leaked Steam controller has a chunky design and several key features.
Valve insider Brad Lynch, who first teased a new Steam controller for 2024, has now revealed information about the controller's design on Twitter. Lynch said the images shared on the platform were not photos of the controller, but rather AI-generated approximations based on prototypes he had seen in person. The image shows a large, chunky controller with two joysticks, a central Steam button, and a dual trackpad that clearly shows Steam Deck inspiration.
Commenters on Twitter were quick to compare the new Steam Controller to The Duke, an old-school Xbox controller notorious for its large size. Some praised the controller's similarity to the Steam Deck, while others disliked it for being too large or including two touchpads. When a commenter asked when Valve would officially reveal the updated design, Lynch responded that they were “very close” to doing so. In addition to revealing the controller's design, Lynch also shared that it can “use a simple CapSense feature to detect how far your hand is from the handle.” ‘CapSense’ is an abbreviation for ‘Capacitance Sensor’, which also boasts a recently updated Steam Deck. He said the feature is a more basic version that can be leveraged for gyroscopic motion “rather than full finger tracking on the grip.”
It's been a little over five years since Valve discontinued the original Steam controller, and a year since rumors began that a new one was in development. If it's actually as close to release as Lynch claims, it's possible that these new controllers, along with the Steam Frame VR headset, could be released as early as the 2025 holiday season. If so, the new and improved Steam Controller could be a hot item on gamers' Christmas lists this year.
- brand
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valve
- original release date
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September 12, 2003
- Original MSRP (USD)
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Not applicable
- weight
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Not applicable
