On the tenth anniversary of the initial release of the now-defunct Steam Controller, rumors that Valve is announcing an updated version are cropping up once again, and a reliable inside source has received information about the design of the updated peripheral. The source also claims that Valve will soon unveil a new Steam controller, although a specific date was not provided.
2025 has seen many rumors regarding physical steam-heated products. Valve is also theorized to announce a wireless VR gaming headset in the near future, called the “Steam Frame.” Now, it looks like an updated Steam Controller, drawing inspiration from the design of the popular Steam Deck, could be announced at the same time.
Leek Steam Controller features chunky design, many key features
Valve insider Brad Lynch, who first teased the new Steam controller in 2024, has now revealed information about the controller's design on Twitter. Lynch clarified that the image shared on the platform was not a picture of the controller, but an AI-generated approximation based on a prototype he had seen in person. The image shows a large, bulky controller with two joysticks, a Steam button in the middle, and double trackpads that clearly show its Steam Deck inspiration.
Commenters on Twitter were quick to compare the new Steam controller to the Duke, an old-school Xbox controller also notorious for its large size. Some praised the controller for its similarity to the Steam Deck, while others felt it was too large or disliked the inclusion of two touchpads. When a commenter asked if Valve could officially reveal the updated design, Lynch replied that they were “very close” to doing so. In addition to revealing the controller's design, Lynch shared that it can “detect how far your hands are from the handles using a simple CapSense feature.” 'Capsense' is short for “capacitive sensors”, which the recently updated Steam deck also boasts. He clarified that the feature “doesn't have full finger tracking on the grip” but a more basic version that can be used for gyroscopic movements.
It's been a little more than five years since Valve discontinued the original Steam controller, and a year after the rumors first began, this new one is in development. If it really is as close to release as Lynch claims, it's possible that this new controller, along with the Steam Frame VR headset, could see a release as early as the 2025 holiday season. If that's the case, the new and improved Steam controller could be a hot ticket 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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N/A
- weight
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N/A
