Valve’s New Steam Controller: A Unique Offering in the Gaming Peripheral Market
As the new Steam Controller prepares to launch on May 4th, it finds itself in a competitive landscape dominated by established players like the Xbox Wireless Controller and the PS5 DualSense. However, what sets this controller apart is its dedicated focus on the PC gaming experience. This raises an intriguing question: why are there so few controllers designed specifically for PC gaming?
To delve into this mystery, I spoke with Valve designer Lawrence Yang and engineer Steve Cardinali, both of whom have contributed to the development of the Steam Deck, Steam Deck OLED, and the forthcoming Steam Machine and Steam Frame VR hardware. While they offered various theories, the underlying reasons for the peripheral industry’s tendency to cater primarily to console gamers remain elusive.
“I actually don’t know why!” Yang chuckles, acknowledging the gap in the market. “But we definitely saw an opportunity for a Steam-first, PC-first controller, and that’s why we made it.”
Cardinali adds, “It’s partially challenging because creating a controller for PC means navigating between different design philosophies. You find yourself competing against existing controllers, which raises the question: what unique problems are we aiming to solve with this controller? Is it worth the effort?”
Despite the dominance of Xbox gamepads among Steam users, Valve believes there is merit in crafting a controller specifically tailored for their platform. Yang points out the inherent compromises that come with using console controllers on a desktop setup.
“Many of the controllers available today are designed by console manufacturers for their own systems, not necessarily for PC,” Yang explains. “We’ve invested significantly in ensuring that every controller we can find is compatible with Steam. According to our last check, around 59% of Steam users were utilizing Xbox controllers, while 26% opted for PlayStation controllers. Only about 10% were using Steam Decks for their gaming sessions. This distribution suggests that most users already have a controller that meets their needs.”
However, Valve sees an opportunity to create something that transcends the notion of ‘good enough’ for PC gaming. The renewed Steam Controller aims to fulfill this vision. It incorporates all the essential thumbsticks and inputs that long-time Xbox users expect, marking a departure from the original Steam Controller’s unconventional design. Additionally, its Deck-style trackpads and compatibility with everyday Windows applications enhance its utility and comfort for PC users.
While the controller relies on Steam Input, making it particularly suited for gaming through the Steam platform, those willing to invest £85 in this device are likely already aligned with Valve’s ecosystem.
In our conversation, Yang and Cardinali also expressed their frustrations regarding the delays surrounding the Steam Machine and shared insights into features they envision for a potential next-generation Steam Deck. It appears that several elements from the new controller could find their way into future iterations of Valve’s gaming hardware.
