I thought this was a really decent price for the specs and then read lots discussions where people say they can get the same for cheaper and I just have to ask... Where? The most common comparison...
I thought this was a really decent price for the specs and then read lots discussions where people say they can get the same for cheaper and I just have to ask... Where?
The most common comparison I see is to the 8bitdo ultimate, which I have 2 of, and yeah it is a nice controller for the price, but it absolutely is not that great of a controller overall. The dpad is horrendous, the grip is not the most comfortable after long sessions, you can't adjust the shoulder triggers, no gyro on PC, subpar polling rate, and the list could go on. I literally stopped using mine when I got a ps5 and just use the dual sense on my PC (which also doesn't have that great of a dpad but I still prefer it to the 8bitdo).
The steam controller is a step up in every conceivable way over something like an 8bitdo ultimate (especially the TMR sticks, that should be the new gold standard), and it includes the 2 track pads which are phenomenal for pc gaming. It is also not that more expensive than a regular dual sense and has way more functionality. Now, you can argue that the dual sense by itself is overpriced and I won't deny that, but I never expected the Steam controller to be less than 80 based on competition like that, so it's wild to see so many are disappointed it's not a 50-70 usd controller, when I feel it was never in that realm as soon as they revealed its spec sheet. Because as far as I can see, the feature set and its pricing seems to fall pretty in line with what I see out there, give or take 10 bucks or so.
There is also the very good chance the controller is very easily moddable and configurable knowing Valve's track record, especially on Linux, which is something I can't say for most controllers, 8bitdo included.
Not saying you don't have the right to complain about it being an expensive controller overall, in absolute terms it is indeed a more expensive controller than the average, and I wouldn't recommend it unless you absolutely need the feature set, but I do also think it brings cool things to the table for those interested in its features without being absurdly priced for them. Though I will hold off final Judgement until it's actually out and more people try it, but I will most likely get one based on how much I love holding the steam deck.
You're comparing the old 8bitdo controller with the new Steam controller. 8bitdo released a 2nd version of their wireless one last year called 8bitdo Ultimate 2, which has all of the things you...
You're comparing the old 8bitdo controller with the new Steam controller. 8bitdo released a 2nd version of their wireless one last year called 8bitdo Ultimate 2, which has all of the things you listed, and it's the exact same price as the old one. Currently 43 CHF (55 USD) in Switzerland.
Gyro on pc
TMR sticks
Better dpad
Extra bumper buttons
1000 hz polling rate
and it can be remapped very easily.
Pretty much the only thing the steam controller has going for it is having trackpads (and potentially the layout, if you prefer that over the asymmetric sticks).
This is a big deal for the Steam Controller, and likely a significant contributor to the cost (they're MacBook-style haptic trackpads, not just a simple multitouch surface like on PlayStation...
Pretty much the only thing the steam controller has going for it is having trackpads
This is a big deal for the Steam Controller, and likely a significant contributor to the cost (they're MacBook-style haptic trackpads, not just a simple multitouch surface like on PlayStation controllers). The goal of the Steam Controller, going back to the original one in 2013, has been to make games designed for mouse and keyboard input easily playable with a controller you can use on your couch, and the trackpads are a big part of how they accomplish this.
If that is not a priority for you, then yeah, the controller doesn't make sense at this price point. But for anyone who does want this, none of these other controllers are even comparable.
I still have 2 steam controllers from the fire sale days, and there really isn't any comparison to them. The entire purpose of this controller was to reconttextuaize a gamepad that can somewhat...
I still have 2 steam controllers from the fire sale days, and there really isn't any comparison to them. The entire purpose of this controller was to reconttextuaize a gamepad that can somewhat work for navigating a PC. 99% of other controllers are focused on being similar to the big console gamepads.
if you just need any ol' controller, then of course you can either use your existing console controllers as a BT one or buy any of the hundreds of $20-80 3rd party gamepads out there. But that's not what someone interested in a Steam Controller is looking for.
Also, this kind of controller, if we had to find a competitor, is more looking towards the kinds of people who buy "elite" controllers, or genre dedicated schemes (fight sticks, driving wheels, etc). $100 is very competitive for that market.
Not positive their controllers compare perfectly but gamesir controllers are another brand worth checking out if you haven't. That said, the steam controller is a really solid offering for not...
Not positive their controllers compare perfectly but gamesir controllers are another brand worth checking out if you haven't. That said, the steam controller is a really solid offering for not being above $100.
I'm not sure I get the surprise at the price I've seen across the internet. I'm looking at prices in GBP (where the Steam Controller would be ~£75), but it seems to be almost exactly the same...
I'm not sure I get the surprise at the price I've seen across the internet. I'm looking at prices in GBP (where the Steam Controller would be ~£75), but it seems to be almost exactly the same price as a PS5 controller (~£75) and a bit more than an Xbox Controller (~£50, though the offical store suggests it's normally ~£60).
Well, the 8bitdo Ultimate is 60€, and has all the features, minus the trackpads. So 40€ for the trackpads is a lot, especially when I plan to use that controller on my PC, where my mouse &...
I'm not sure I get the surprise at the price I've seen across the internet
Well, the 8bitdo Ultimate is 60€, and has all the features, minus the trackpads. So 40€ for the trackpads is a lot, especially when I plan to use that controller on my PC, where my mouse & keyboard are right here.
I still want a Steam Controller because I love the Deck, but 100€ is kinda hard to justify
I was about to mention the 8bitdo Ultimate. It's an excellent controller that you can pair with your phone, PC, steam deck, xbox, Switch etc. It's the best controller I've ever used, and even...
I was about to mention the 8bitdo Ultimate. It's an excellent controller that you can pair with your phone, PC, steam deck, xbox, Switch etc.
It's the best controller I've ever used, and even assuming the steam controller will be 100 EUR in Europe, which may not be the case, it's a very very tough sell.
If you pair that controller with your Switch, how does the orientation of the A B X Y buttons work? I'd kill for a controller that pairs with my Switch but lets me not have to battle my muscle...
If you pair that controller with your Switch, how does the orientation of the A B X Y buttons work? I'd kill for a controller that pairs with my Switch but lets me not have to battle my muscle memory to not mix up the buttons from my normal PC gaming.
I first got an 8BitDo Ultimate C Bluetooth for my eldest, and then - after my original Steam Controller died - I got an 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless for myself. The former uses the Nintendo layout,...
I first got an 8BitDo Ultimate C Bluetooth for my eldest, and then - after my original Steam Controller died - I got an 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless for myself. The former uses the Nintendo layout, while the later uses the XBox layout. Both work just fine with our PCs, my SteamDeck, and the Switches. (They don't really advertise that the Ultimate 2 Wireless also works with the Switch, but it does in fact! Though you might need a firmware update.)
In any case, the only difference in terms of orientation is in the physical labels on the buttons. The relative position of the buttons you press remains the same. In other words, muscle memory works perfectly, but it can be a bit confusing when the game tells you to press B and you need to hit the button labelled A instead, or vice versa. But if you're looking at the TV and not down at the labels, then they just do the right thing for each system.
It will act like the layout of the thing you pair it to. So there will be a button / sign mismatch on PC, since the version that supports both PC and Switch comes with a Switch layout. I totally...
It will act like the layout of the thing you pair it to. So there will be a button / sign mismatch on PC, since the version that supports both PC and Switch comes with a Switch layout.
I totally get where you're coming from though, I found AB stuff difficult to get used to as well.
One thing that this (probably) does well that the 8bitdo doesn't is a high quality low drift gyro. Right now, the controllers with the best gyros are the Dualsense and the Switch 2 Pro Controller,...
One thing that this (probably) does well that the 8bitdo doesn't is a high quality low drift gyro. Right now, the controllers with the best gyros are the Dualsense and the Switch 2 Pro Controller, the latter of which is a hassle to use on PC.
I think the trackpads are a big deal in the living room, where this thing is really meant to be used with the Gabecube. They also aren't normal trackpads, they are pressure sensitive haptic trackpads (similar to what Apple uses on MacBook Pros). None of Valve's recently hardware seems intended to replace a conventional desktop setup.
8bitdo is kinda cheating though, they're by far the best value controllers on the market and they undercut prices on every 1st party controller. I picked up their ultimate 2c for like 25 bucks and...
8bitdo is kinda cheating though, they're by far the best value controllers on the market and they undercut prices on every 1st party controller. I picked up their ultimate 2c for like 25 bucks and its as good or better than pretty much any other non-premium controller out there.
I think a fairer comparison is something like Xbox elite controller
Why is undercutting competition cheating? If Xbox or PS were using console sales to subsidize the cost of controllers, I could maybe agree. But as far as I have heard, 8bitdo is not doing that.
Why is undercutting competition cheating? If Xbox or PS were using console sales to subsidize the cost of controllers, I could maybe agree. But as far as I have heard, 8bitdo is not doing that.
Well it's not "cheating" persay, I was basically just saying comparing the steam controller to that is a little unfair. Why shouldn't it be compared to other 1st party controllers? Saying "oh well...
Well it's not "cheating" persay, I was basically just saying comparing the steam controller to that is a little unfair. Why shouldn't it be compared to other 1st party controllers? Saying "oh well its more expensive than the cheapest/best value controllers on the market" isn't exactly surprising, especially when they don't even have the same feature set.
Maybe because PC gamepads are usually cheaper than name-brand console gamepads. There are great controllers from trustworthy companies for $20-30 that do everything a Microsoft-branded Xbox...
Maybe because PC gamepads are usually cheaper than name-brand console gamepads. There are great controllers from trustworthy companies for $20-30 that do everything a Microsoft-branded Xbox controller will do for $70. A PC gamepad for $100 is rather unusual. None have the features of this new Steam Controller, though.
I was personally ready to pay $70 (like OP) but at $100 I'm questioning whether I care about the extra features.
I mean I would consider a steam controller a “name brand” controller as well. 8bitdo needs to have lower prices to compete with lower brand recognition - meanwhile essentially every PC gamer knows...
I mean I would consider a steam controller a “name brand” controller as well. 8bitdo needs to have lower prices to compete with lower brand recognition - meanwhile essentially every PC gamer knows the steam brand.
Those $20-$30 controllers are competing with $50-$60 standard Xbox and Playstation controllers. The Steam Controller is much more comparable to the premium Xbox Elite and Dualsense Edge...
There are great controllers from trustworthy companies for $20-30 that do everything a Microsoft-branded Xbox controller will do for $70. A PC gamepad for $100 is rather unusual.
Those $20-$30 controllers are competing with $50-$60 standard Xbox and Playstation controllers. The Steam Controller is much more comparable to the premium Xbox Elite and Dualsense Edge controllers, which live in the $150-$200 price bracket. The low cost competition for the Steam Controller is the same as for those other premium controllers: $70-$100 "pro" offerings from Chinese manufacturers like FlyDigi and GameSir (who notably also make a lot of the recommended $20-$30 controllers).
It's just a lot of money for a controller. Heck, all of those prices you listed feel too high for a controller to me. Then again I've always been the kind of gamer that doesn't think twice about...
It's just a lot of money for a controller. Heck, all of those prices you listed feel too high for a controller to me. Then again I've always been the kind of gamer that doesn't think twice about going 3rd party or wired to save a buck. Further, I don't really like the Steamdeck's touch controls nearly enough (or at all) to pay $99 for them.
I feel like I'm at the other end of the spectrum from a lot of folks on the price. In this economy where everything is getting super expensive, I was worried it was going to end up more expensive....
I feel like I'm at the other end of the spectrum from a lot of folks on the price. In this economy where everything is getting super expensive, I was worried it was going to end up more expensive. $100 is definitely expensive. That said, if it ends up feeling high quality and holds up to abuse, I think it's likely a fair price point. I plan to pick one up probably not long after release as long as it's received well. I still have and love a couple old steam controllers that are still doing great, so I'm optimistic.
The latest is that the controller is coming on the 4th. https://www.notebookcheck.net/Steam-Controller-release-date-revealed-as-another-review-leaks-online.1283470.0.html Edit: The Verge is...
The latest is that the controller is coming on the 4th.
It needs steam to be running, which is quite annoying.
With anything running Steam
Steam Controller works with any PC or device running Steam or the Steam Link app. This includes Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs, as well as tablets and smart phones.
It needs steam to be running, which is quite annoying.
Outside of the of price, which is subjective, this is probably the real downside to it for me. Though in the long run I'm hoping that the open source community work out how to have it fully...
Outside of the of price, which is subjective, this is probably the real downside to it for me. Though in the long run I'm hoping that the open source community work out how to have it fully working without relying on steam input.
I'm not hopeful about the open source work in regards to steam input. It's been a thing for a decade now and as far as I know, we still don't have a solution to use it without steam. I've also...
I'm not hopeful about the open source work in regards to steam input. It's been a thing for a decade now and as far as I know, we still don't have a solution to use it without steam. I've also read that some earlier workarounds were closed off by Valve but I cannot confirm that information.
So what are the internet peoples' solution to this problem? Add your games as non-steam and run it through steam. Which hardly solves anything. But people love steam so much they will never bat an eye at being forced to use it. So, at the end of the day, it really is just an another first party controller. (Ironically, for PC for the first time) It's priced like one and restricted like one. I hope we'll get either community solution to software or a third party equivalent with trackpads to come into play.
This is only tangentially related to the controller, but This is something I personally have never understood. From my personal experience, Steam is just as bad and predatory as every other...
This is only tangentially related to the controller, but
people love steam so much they will never bat an eye at being forced to use it.
This is something I personally have never understood. From my personal experience, Steam is just as bad and predatory as every other company out there, yet they seem to get a free pass by the community for some reason?
They take a whopping 30% cut from sales, you still don't own the games you purchase on steam (unlike GoG, for example) and their desktop app is a slow, overall dreadful a resource hog. Their regional pricing is completely unfair and exploitatory and the list goes on.
It really annoys me when people (not meaning you) talk about steam like they're some benevolent, charitable entity. And the positive reception and complete disregard for this controller's shortcomings is an excellent example of that. If Epic Games or EA released this controller, the reception would 100% be different.
As the consumer, Steam is pretty much a seamless and customer friendly service. They've ingratiated themselves by providing a rather lax return policy, respond quickly to scams or rugpulls by...
As the consumer, Steam is pretty much a seamless and customer friendly service. They've ingratiated themselves by providing a rather lax return policy, respond quickly to scams or rugpulls by refunding people, decent to good hardware launches, long time support for their own games and software, generally fairly priced games, don't block you from adding your own games to your library, and aside from their gambling problem don't seem to want to gouge the consumer for all they're worth. They're relatively scandal free because of their secretive nature and their laissez faire approach to the consumer is worth something these days.
The 30% fee is steep but doesn't hit the consumer in any way, so it's easy to wave away as a non issue, their gambling is tucked away within their own games and hides it from most, and not owning games is par for the course (to their very minor credit, at least they're upfront about it). I don't particularly experience Steam as a resource hog, but I'll take your word for it.
Look, I'm not entirely on board with the starry eyed praise Valve gets from everyone, they have their share of problems, but they've undoubtedly made a more consumer friendly and frictionless experience for a boatload of people. To say they're perfect is incorrect, but to lump them in with the likes of EA is also not true.
This hits the nail on the head. I'm not gonna glaze Valve, but I do like their service and I've been a happy customer of Steam for 22 years now. I've never lost access to any of my titles I've...
This hits the nail on the head. I'm not gonna glaze Valve, but I do like their service and I've been a happy customer of Steam for 22 years now. I've never lost access to any of my titles I've purchased in those 22 years, very much unlike all the money I spent with Nintendo over the years.
I still buy stuff on GoG, because I want to spread my money around and want them to continue to exist as a company and service; I've got over 250-games alone on GoG. But currently, I'm playing a game on Steam that I bought 11 years ago and using current hardware to do it; any other service and I'd be trying to hook up an old console and praying it still supports modern Wifi or the store is still available to download from. I don't worry about that (at least for the near future) with Steam.
That sort of supports my point, I think. The things you listed are the bare minimum service expected from an online store. They're doing nothing praise-worthy. As for fairly priced games, I have...
That sort of supports my point, I think. The things you listed are the bare minimum service expected from an online store. They're doing nothing praise-worthy.
As for fairly priced games, I have to completely disagree. Let's take a popular AAA game as an example that's available on GOG too, Baldur's Gate 3.
On Steam, the game costs 59.99 USD, which is with current exchange rates 48 CHF. On Steam, Baldur's Gate 3 costs 69.99 CHF, which is 89 USD. Excuse me, what?????
The same game on GOG costs 58 CHF, 17% cheaper, and I actually own the game. This is the exact same for the overwhelming majority of games. Steam is actively scamming Switzerland (the most), among other countries. I know developers can change their regional prices, but pretty much nobody does. 60 USD games are almost always 70 CHF.
I generally support regional pricing for poorer countries, but the opposite is ridiculous. They also do 1 USD = 1 EUR in their pricing, even though the exchange rate is 0.85. Poland sometimes gets prices close to Switzerland, with a significantly lower median income.
Steam's pricing is in no way fair and are absolutely gouging the consumer for all they're worth.
I feel like that's glossing over a lot of agency for the developer. In the end, if you don't like the regional pricing for a game, it is mainly on the developer/publisher. They're the ones who...
I know developers can change their regional prices, but pretty much nobody does.
I feel like that's glossing over a lot of agency for the developer. In the end, if you don't like the regional pricing for a game, it is mainly on the developer/publisher. They're the ones who determine the cost of the game in every currency.
Steam has a currency calculator, which tries to take into account PPP in addition to the exchange rate, but it is optional and you can change the specific prices afterwards.
In the end, if Larian, a large EU developer, is too lazy to inspect the prices in other Eurozone countries, that's on them. They're the merchant, and the price is ultimately their responsibility.
This is the exact Steam / Valve apologism I was talking about. Yes, the developer could change it, but why is Steam getting waved through for encouraging these outrageous prices in the first...
This is the exact Steam / Valve apologism I was talking about. Yes, the developer could change it, but why is Steam getting waved through for encouraging these outrageous prices in the first place? Why do you think that they are not responsible for it?
How about indie games? How is an indie developer supposed to know which regional prices are fair and rich aren't? And why would they lower a price for a region, if Steam recommend a higher one?
Because it’s not their responsibility? The buck stops at the developer. It’s the developer’s responsibility to set prices appropriate in each market to maximize their profits. As you say, currency...
Because it’s not their responsibility? The buck stops at the developer. It’s the developer’s responsibility to set prices appropriate in each market to maximize their profits.
As you say, currency conversion is a complicated subject. There’s not only the raw conversion rate, which can fluctuate wildly based on world events and cause FX risk, but also PPP to consider.
Of course Steam’s automatic price calculator is imperfect. It’s, in the end, nothing more than a baseline for developers to iterate on. It’s like expecting a website template to be perfect.
If you want to do a pure FX conversion, Steam will let you do that as well. That developers don’t is their choice. The buck stops at them.
And before the “blah blah steam apologist” comes out, I think steam is dogshit but for completely different reasons. The steam client is just very old, very ugly, and very slow. It’s unbelievable the store page still just opens the store in an embedded browser in the year of the lord 2026.
Regional pricing? That has nothing to do with them, in the end.
Defaults are strong, though. Especially for smaller devs that won't be able to research pricing cultures in dozens of countries and will simply trust the systems in place. It's like talking about...
Steam has a currency calculator, which tries to take into account PPP in addition to the exchange rate, but it is optional and you can change the specific prices afterwards.
Defaults are strong, though. Especially for smaller devs that won't be able to research pricing cultures in dozens of countries and will simply trust the systems in place.
It's like talking about MSRP but blaming WalMart for not making a PS5 cheaper. They trust Sony's researched a lot of that market price, compared it loosely against their own margins, and went with it.
Depends on the perspective, I suppose. A lot of society got worst at say, a 3x rate this last decade. So valve getting maybe 1.5x worse won't feel as bad. Even if you can argue's Valve's...
but they've undoubtedly made a more consumer friendly and frictionless experience for a boatload of people. To say they're perfect is incorrect, but to lump them in with the likes of EA is also not true.
Depends on the perspective, I suppose. A lot of society got worst at say, a 3x rate this last decade. So valve getting maybe 1.5x worse won't feel as bad. Even if you can argue's Valve's contributions are much more significant than EA's.
Also, A lot of Valve's evils are "boring" if you're not directly in that affectetd scene. Because their game dev is much more secondary and they don't actually interface much with players. If you don't play Counterstrike, you don't "feel" the gambling.
EA's evils aren't actually as bad, but much more high profile. And they release dozens of games per year from many popular licenses. They talk about "a sense of pride and accomplishment" and it's a firestorm for months and ears to come.
On the note of community work to open up the controller beyond Steam Input, seems that a project did exist for the original controller GloSI, and the creator of that has recently moved on to a...
On the note of community work to open up the controller beyond Steam Input, seems that a project did exist for the original controller GloSI, and the creator of that has recently moved on to a successor project SISR. So there is some hope out there.
Yeah, that might actually be a deal breaker for me. I liked that the old controllers were simply BT controllers with some mousing controls for the touchpad. I don't want my hardware to be tied to...
Yeah, that might actually be a deal breaker for me. I liked that the old controllers were simply BT controllers with some mousing controls for the touchpad. I don't want my hardware to be tied to an application as heavy as an entire store launcher; I try to keep steam (and most programs) off except when genuinely needed.
I hope it just means "full functionality with steam" and some basic drivers by itself to function as a generic gamepad/mouse.
Does the controller need steam, or does steam input need steam? Afaik it works fine as a Bluetooth/wired controller with anything, but needs steam for the remappable steam-input layer (which would...
Does the controller need steam, or does steam input need steam? Afaik it works fine as a Bluetooth/wired controller with anything, but needs steam for the remappable steam-input layer (which would be cooler to not need that but seems like a fine compromise either way)
Bit of both. According to Gamers Nexus (https://youtu.be/wfr4QN1Hvhs?t=1054) gamepad functionality doesn't work outside steam. Ideally system would keep your latest mapping on it's onboard memory...
Bit of both. According to Gamers Nexus (https://youtu.be/wfr4QN1Hvhs?t=1054) gamepad functionality doesn't work outside steam. Ideally system would keep your latest mapping on it's onboard memory and let you use it without being dependent on a platform but this is not the case here.
Indeed. Steam input always worked that way. So currently the only option seems to be either add your game as non-steam or as @Slystuff mentioned above, a project called SISR is being developed to...
Indeed. Steam input always worked that way. So currently the only option seems to be either add your game as non-steam or as @Slystuff mentioned above, a project called SISR is being developed to bridge the gap between steam input and use the hardware at system level.
At the end of the day, it is a bummer that it's not perfect. If price was right, One could easily justify the hassle. But right now, I am torn between. Xinput devices have been my go-to for their compatibility. I wouldn't want a great hardware to be ruined by it's software because it doesn't suit my needs fully. So either you get a TMR controller and a keyboard/trackpad device separately for much cheaper or just buy this and hope for the best.
EDIT: this video does a great job at answering all of the compatibility questions you might have.
EDIT2: Same channel did a more in depth video on how it's trackpad actions work with/without steam.
Damn, that does suck. I have to figure out how much I care about it; my only gaming device is a steam deck, so even non-steam games are being launched through steam anyway, so in theory it doesn't...
Damn, that does suck. I have to figure out how much I care about it; my only gaming device is a steam deck, so even non-steam games are being launched through steam anyway, so in theory it doesn't affect me at all. And I trust valve to actually do the work to open up compatibility later. But I really don't understand how it can't keep a "generic Xbox controller" load out built into the hardware in case steam input isn't running. Again, highly unlikely to actually affect my life, but the knowledge that I couldn't use this controller with anything besides my steam deck stings
Being totally honest, it's more than I was expecting and more than I want I pay, but I will buy it because there's nothing else like it. Since the announcement, I've had it in my head that it...
Being totally honest, it's more than I was expecting and more than I want I pay, but I will buy it because there's nothing else like it.
Since the announcement, I've had it in my head that it would be about $70, so $100 is a bit of sticker shock for me. But, I've had my Deck for going on four years now and the controls are a game changer for me; I still like my standard controllers, but having access to the touchpads just opens up so many options.
I've enjoyed the setup on my Deck so much, I've actually gone back to using my original Steam Controller occasionally. Only occasionally, however, because the lack of a proper DPad and right Analogue makes it only useful for some games. I'm greatly looking forward to setting this up and playing all the keyboard/mouse driven games I play on my Deck, using the controller on my laptop.
I want to love my Steam Deck, and its controls. But after growing into mouse/keyboard, I have such a hard time going back to joysticks or touch pads. What game(s) do you primarily play?
I want to love my Steam Deck, and its controls. But after growing into mouse/keyboard, I have such a hard time going back to joysticks or touch pads. What game(s) do you primarily play?
I trot this anecdote out everytime I talk about PC gaming, but I've been doing it for a long time. Over 30 years now and next year will be the 30th anniversary of teaching myself to use the...
I trot this anecdote out everytime I talk about PC gaming, but I've been doing it for a long time. Over 30 years now and next year will be the 30th anniversary of teaching myself to use the keyboard and mouse for gaming (WASD was a revelation at the time. Everyone prior just used the keyboard only to play FPS games).
Anyway, I used to struggle a lot using controllers, often becoming frustrated with them, but the Deck changed that. Now I much prefer controllers for when I game, because it's a lot easier on my hands and wrists, having developed carpal tunnel in the last several years. But using a regular controller still isn't my favorite thing because of the lack of versatility and inability to play a lot of PC games well.
So, I'll throw out a short list of stuff I play and how I generally use it.
Games that require minimal setup:
Transport Fever 2
Pillars of Eternity
FPS games (classic PC shooters and Boom Shoots)
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Battle Brothers
By and large in these games (mostly TF2, PoE & C&C, BB), they're functional out of the box. I use the right trackpad as my mouse cursor and the left I setup as a clockwise/counter-clockwise motion to scroll the mouse wheel for zooming in and out. Often I'll set the DPAD to 1-2-3-4 depending on direction so I can access quick commands, such as selecting a group in C&C (which is assigned by holding Ctrl and pressing a number. I usually assign left bumper to Ctrl) or selecting an ability to use in Battle Brothers.
Other stuff requires a lot more customization. For example, I play Vanilla World of Warcraft on my Deck and the setup there is quite complicated. Right trackpad as mouse again, but I can hold the left bumper to mode shift, which turns it into the scroll wheel for when I need it. Left trackpad is a radial menu for 5 different abilities and again holding the right bumper changes that radial menu into less urgent hot keys, such as accessing my map, inventory, character screen, etc and there I have about 8 or so different keys bound.
The right joystick is used for my F-keys, F1 through F5, depending on direction, for quick selecting party members for healing when I'm in a dungeon or otherwise. Plus a lot of random other stuff around the buttons, such as a combination of the back buttons being used for Tab targeting, Assist key, Attack Key and Shift key for selecting/looting multiple things at once.
It's complicated, but it's custom to me and therein lies the power and what I want Steam Controller 2 for: Steam Input customization. My first year or two of using the Deck, I only used Steam Input a little bit, never getting too deep into it, but the more you learn it and understand it, the more you realize what an incredibly powerful tool it is to play games how you want to play them. The Steam Controller is just an extension of that, adding the ability to use a proper mouse (which I find 90% as good as using a real mouse), in addition to the ability to basically use the entire keyboard via the other trackpad and various other customizations you can do to the other controls, such as what I've done with Vanilla WoW. This isn't even using any of it to it's full potential, given I typically disable gyro, because I find it annoying, though many swear by it for FPS games, so I may eventually better acquaint myself with that as well.
Edit: hella long post to answer a simple question, sorry. My wife hates that...
Anyway, the TLDR of what games I play: PC games. Games from every era, modern , all the way back to DOS. Games that aren't always designed with a controller in mind, in spite of it often being my preferred method these days.
In good configurations, the trackpad feels like a trackball mouse. For slow moves you're 'rolling' it (and use the gyro). For big/fast movement you flick/spin it, lifting your finger, and a slow...
In good configurations, the trackpad feels like a trackball mouse. For slow moves you're 'rolling' it (and use the gyro). For big/fast movement you flick/spin it, lifting your finger, and a slow deceleration lets it keep spinning fast until you tap back down.
Once that clicked for me, instead of trying to use it like a regular mouse or joystick, it's hard to use the right joystick at all. I now use the right joystick for radial menus.
Index controllers have never cost less than €150 (each, and you need two), so I find this quite reasonable considering Valve's history and the associated economies of scale. They typically don't...
Index controllers have never cost less than €150 (each, and you need two), so I find this quite reasonable considering Valve's history and the associated economies of scale. They typically don't lower prices but I imagine they could if the controller is wildly more successful than they expect.
$100 is gonna be a little bit of a stretch, but if I’m able to easily swap it between gaming on my Mac and gaming on my Linux box, then because it’s closer to the layout that I prefer as far as...
$100 is gonna be a little bit of a stretch, but if I’m able to easily swap it between gaming on my Mac and gaming on my Linux box, then because it’s closer to the layout that I prefer as far as joystick placement (the Sony PlayStation controller style) and has a few features that nothing elves has like the dual thumb pads, I may go ahead and grab one.
Of course me being me I’ll certainly wait for reviewers to have their way with it first, then there’s a chance that I’ll wait for the aftermarket to develop and grab one used. Or wait until an inevitable Steam Sale and grab one when it goes on sale for $20, $30 maybe $40 off. I’m patient.
For anyone who'd like an extremely detailed breakdown, Gamers Nexus has one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfr4QN1Hvhs Small things of note: A neat breakdown of what TMR is (quantum tunneling...
For anyone who'd like an extremely detailed breakdown, Gamers Nexus has one:
I would still be willing to get one, even if that's higher than expected. I have one of the original Steam Controllers that I got in the firesale. Should've gotten two. That said...Strangely, I...
I would still be willing to get one, even if that's higher than expected. I have one of the original Steam Controllers that I got in the firesale. Should've gotten two.
That said...Strangely, I don't even use my Steam Controller that much anymore. I use my PS4 and PS5 controllers with my Steam Deck or even PCs. And then when traveling, I use one of those tiny 8BitDo controllers.
But I'd rather have in case I need touchpads. It's so good.
That’s a no from me. I thought at that price it would be DOA but the both places I’ve seen discussing it see it as a fair price. Unless I can find this for a relatively good price, I’ll be...
That’s a no from me.
I thought at that price it would be DOA but the both places I’ve seen discussing it see it as a fair price.
Unless I can find this for a relatively good price, I’ll be sticking to my 8bitdo Ultimate controller.
I see this comparison made a lot. The 8bitdo ultimate is a decent controller, when you look at the features, you can see where this would cost more. extra set of back buttons mappable capacitive...
I see this comparison made a lot. The 8bitdo ultimate is a decent controller, when you look at the features, you can see where this would cost more.
extra set of back buttons
mappable capacitive grips
capacitive thumbsticks
gyro
squircle trackpads that offer haptic feedback and are pressure sensitive
But is that worth $40 more? It depends on how much you value the extra feature set.
If I was buying today, I'd spring for the new Steam controller, but if I already had the 8bitdo ultimate, I'm not so sure.
As an aside, the leaked review misses the mark as you can't really review this controller without mentioning steam input. E.g. This controller has analog triggers and does support hair triggers through steam input... And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
The 8bitdo ultimate (2) has the gyro, two mappable back buttons and two additional bumper buttons, TMR sticks and a better D-pad than the one on my Steam Deck which looks to be the same one as the...
The 8bitdo ultimate (2) has the gyro, two mappable back buttons and two additional bumper buttons, TMR sticks and a better D-pad than the one on my Steam Deck which looks to be the same one as the new Steam Controller. The 8bitdo software isn't quite Steam Input but provides a decent amount of customization.
I do love the trackpads on my steam deck (I think I commented excitedly on a thread about these new controllers last year) but the price tag does tamper my excitement somewhat. I think the controller went from a must buy to a maybe one day for me.
You're correct, I missed that that when I did the initial comparison. The ultimate 2 replaced the ultimate at the same price ($60, and definitely closes the gap feature wise. And the ultimate 2c...
You're correct, I missed that that when I did the initial comparison. The ultimate 2 replaced the ultimate at the same price ($60, and definitely closes the gap feature wise. And the ultimate 2c is a solid option at $20.
Since steam input broadly supports other controllers, I didn't really consider that as a pro/con for either controller. I don't have an ultimate to test with, but I expect it's reasonably well supported by Steam Input. That was mostly an aside about the leaked review.
I have a feeling they might be positioning themselves along -or mayhaps, in between?- the more premium offers like Flydigi Apex. Which is an all bells and whistles controller at $150. Because,...
I have a feeling they might be positioning themselves along -or mayhaps, in between?- the more premium offers like Flydigi Apex. Which is an all bells and whistles controller at $150. Because, feature wise if you're after a TMR stick controller with back buttons, it clearly loses against Gamesir G7 and 8bitdo Ultimate 2c in terms of price to feature. And both these companies have wired versions which makes more competitive.
However, biggest problem I can think of when it comes to steam controller is that, are we going to be able to use it without steam? Since the previous controller relied on steam input if you need all the features, you had to have your steam running. Which limits you to steam as a platform. Meanwhile all of the offerings can just connect to your consoles, phones, pc etc with no problem.
So far, in order to make a decision, I think I'll have to see the reviews and actual pricing for this. I've been holding off from buying a new controller ever since the leaks of this started appearing. I'm planning to use it as a remote controller for pc when I'm not gaming (which honestly %80 of my gamepad's usage atm) and those trackpads would add a lot of QoL if I could double-duty my gamepad for.
Edit: Turns out I didn't really needed to wait long. It's exactly same price as the leaks and reviewers already confirmed it doesnt work without steam being on. I really wanted to avoid getting a mini keyboard and combine it into a single device but oh well.
The ultimate 2 has gyro, but it's not a very stable gyro compared to the Dualsense or Switch 2 Pro controller. This is actually a huge deal for me because Steam Input makes setting per-game...
The ultimate 2 has gyro, but it's not a very stable gyro compared to the Dualsense or Switch 2 Pro controller.
The 8bitdo software isn't quite Steam Input but provides a decent amount of customization.
This is actually a huge deal for me because Steam Input makes setting per-game controller profiles trivial while third party configuration apps just don't.
Idk to me it feels like people losing their sensitivity to pricing after the initial GPU crypto boom price hikes, then followed with... the current state that makes people think "Oh $100 is not...
Idk to me it feels like people losing their sensitivity to pricing after the initial GPU crypto boom price hikes, then followed with... the current state that makes people think "Oh $100 is not bad actually".
As others have pointed out, the 8bitdo Ultimate has Gyro and both extra shoulder and back buttons.
For like $70 or $80 perhaps I may've considered it at least as a unique input method but, the d-pad doesn't seem to be much better if at all than the one the Deck has, and the trackpads has only been useful in my experience for 1 game (Marfusha), I'm certain I could find more use for it but I barely use it on the SteamDeck, and I'm not paying $100 for just a maybe feature.
I'm not comparing them to the DualSense Edge or Xbox Elite controller, but to an Xbox controller with extra features or an 8bitdo/Gamesir equivalents.
I'm not against people having fun or use for it, but I'm puzzled because people are having the exact opposite reaction I'd guess for the price.
Unlike buttons and joysticks, the trackpads are custom components. They're a unique interface, and I don't see anyone else competing. The Steam controller is probably more expensive to...
Unlike buttons and joysticks, the trackpads are custom components. They're a unique interface, and I don't see anyone else competing. The Steam controller is probably more expensive to manufacture.
My family is comparing the steam controller to using a mouse for playing visual novels on the couch. When we think of the controller as a combo controller+mouse, the price seems reasonable.
Priced against an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, it comes out pretty damn favorable. Especially having parity with the Steam Deck. I love my 8bitdo controllers, but they lack that...
Priced against an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, it comes out pretty damn favorable. Especially having parity with the Steam Deck.
I love my 8bitdo controllers, but they lack that critical trackpad.
Think you really gotta want what it's selling. If I never intended to use the trackpads, yeah, I wouldn't bother. I have an SN30 Pro I love, as well as a wireless Xbox One and Xbox 360 controller...
Think you really gotta want what it's selling.
If I never intended to use the trackpads, yeah, I wouldn't bother. I have an SN30 Pro I love, as well as a wireless Xbox One and Xbox 360 controller that I've modded with a better D-Pad. I like all of them quite a lot and they suit me fine when I want to play something controller oriented.
But a lot of the time I want to play, "PC-Ass-PC-Games" and the Deck control style with touchpad just hits that exactly for me. $100 is definitely more than I want to spend and I think my wife will be ok with it, but I'd like to have 2 and I don't think I can justify $200+ for that.
I was hoping for a super-cheap $60 so I could have bought three for under $200. That was a pipe dream I figure. Guess I just get 2 now, then others later when they go on sale.
I was hoping for a super-cheap $60 so I could have bought three for under $200. That was a pipe dream I figure.
Guess I just get 2 now, then others later when they go on sale.
As I'm typically the k+m user and the Deck holds up for a few games that are the exception, my xbox controller covers all bases. And I was recently (in January) tasked to work overnights (as...
As I'm typically the k+m user and the Deck holds up for a few games that are the exception, my xbox controller covers all bases. And I was recently (in January) tasked to work overnights (as salary, which is bs, but that's why I make the big bucks...) and forgot the xbox controller I usually packed for when I set the Deck up with keyboard/mouse/external things/monitor. Grabbed one for under $30.
I honestly don't know why the Deck controller is so good, as I only use the pads when I'm playing a game that isn't natively supported. So if you ditched the pads on the Steam controller, what is the point?
And I'm asking honestly, because the backside buttons behind the deck are completely useless (and even if I tried to use them, they're not natural anymore at my age).
Gyro for mouse and flight controls. The Switch pro controller has a good gyro, and I love it for big mouse movements. The accuracy and ease reminds me of some Wii controls.
So if you ditched the pads on the Steam controller, what is the point?
Gyro for mouse and flight controls. The Switch pro controller has a good gyro, and I love it for big mouse movements. The accuracy and ease reminds me of some Wii controls.
Ah, guess I just noticed I haven't played any flight-based games in quite a while, and definitely even longer with a controller. I was into the original Rise of Flight mod for MS Flight Simulator...
Ah, guess I just noticed I haven't played any flight-based games in quite a while, and definitely even longer with a controller. I was into the original Rise of Flight mod for MS Flight Simulator and had a decently-sweet joystick and rudders like 15 years ago, but haven't played since.
I hope they will release a cheaper wired only version. I only play on my PC so I don't need wireless support or the battery. The original Steam Controller at least took inherently replaceable AAs...
I hope they will release a cheaper wired only version. I only play on my PC so I don't need wireless support or the battery.
The original Steam Controller at least took inherently replaceable AAs and worked fine without them..
I think there are better controllers out there for less money if your use case is sitting at a desk. This thing seems explicitly designed for couch gaming, specifically with those big and likely...
I think there are better controllers out there for less money if your use case is sitting at a desk. This thing seems explicitly designed for couch gaming, specifically with those big and likely expensive trackpads.
Eh, I think I'm priced out of modern gaming. With this economy, there's no way in heck I'm paying $100 for a controller or $70+ for games. There's basically an infinite backlog of older stuff to...
Eh, I think I'm priced out of modern gaming. With this economy, there's no way in heck I'm paying $100 for a controller or $70+ for games. There's basically an infinite backlog of older stuff to play, and my old steam controller still works just fine.
I'm seeing a lot of love for the 8bitdo Ultimate controller here and while it's not a bad controller by any stretch, there are better options under $50 for PC in 2026
Call me shallow, but one of the things I like about my Ultimate 2 Wireless compared to those is the aesthetics, especially after turning off the RGB. It's the same as with my Keychron HE keyboard...
Call me shallow, but one of the things I like about my Ultimate 2 Wireless compared to those is the aesthetics, especially after turning off the RGB.
It's the same as with my Keychron HE keyboard and my classic-shell Logitech mouse peripherals - they're rounded, understated, and don't immediately scream gamer bro.
Yeah none of these other budget options look as classy as the 8bitdo. However, after getting a controller with tactile microswitch buttons, I can never go back to rubber membranes.
Yeah none of these other budget options look as classy as the 8bitdo. However, after getting a controller with tactile microswitch buttons, I can never go back to rubber membranes.
The price isn’t surprising to me. The Xbox Elite controller has been >$100 since release. Valve’s controller is in no way necessary for any game and is a high end option.
The price isn’t surprising to me. The Xbox Elite controller has been >$100 since release. Valve’s controller is in no way necessary for any game and is a high end option.
I thought this was a really decent price for the specs and then read lots discussions where people say they can get the same for cheaper and I just have to ask... Where?
The most common comparison I see is to the 8bitdo ultimate, which I have 2 of, and yeah it is a nice controller for the price, but it absolutely is not that great of a controller overall. The dpad is horrendous, the grip is not the most comfortable after long sessions, you can't adjust the shoulder triggers, no gyro on PC, subpar polling rate, and the list could go on. I literally stopped using mine when I got a ps5 and just use the dual sense on my PC (which also doesn't have that great of a dpad but I still prefer it to the 8bitdo).
The steam controller is a step up in every conceivable way over something like an 8bitdo ultimate (especially the TMR sticks, that should be the new gold standard), and it includes the 2 track pads which are phenomenal for pc gaming. It is also not that more expensive than a regular dual sense and has way more functionality. Now, you can argue that the dual sense by itself is overpriced and I won't deny that, but I never expected the Steam controller to be less than 80 based on competition like that, so it's wild to see so many are disappointed it's not a 50-70 usd controller, when I feel it was never in that realm as soon as they revealed its spec sheet. Because as far as I can see, the feature set and its pricing seems to fall pretty in line with what I see out there, give or take 10 bucks or so.
There is also the very good chance the controller is very easily moddable and configurable knowing Valve's track record, especially on Linux, which is something I can't say for most controllers, 8bitdo included.
Not saying you don't have the right to complain about it being an expensive controller overall, in absolute terms it is indeed a more expensive controller than the average, and I wouldn't recommend it unless you absolutely need the feature set, but I do also think it brings cool things to the table for those interested in its features without being absurdly priced for them. Though I will hold off final Judgement until it's actually out and more people try it, but I will most likely get one based on how much I love holding the steam deck.
You're comparing the old 8bitdo controller with the new Steam controller. 8bitdo released a 2nd version of their wireless one last year called 8bitdo Ultimate 2, which has all of the things you listed, and it's the exact same price as the old one. Currently 43 CHF (55 USD) in Switzerland.
and it can be remapped very easily.
Pretty much the only thing the steam controller has going for it is having trackpads (and potentially the layout, if you prefer that over the asymmetric sticks).
This is a big deal for the Steam Controller, and likely a significant contributor to the cost (they're MacBook-style haptic trackpads, not just a simple multitouch surface like on PlayStation controllers). The goal of the Steam Controller, going back to the original one in 2013, has been to make games designed for mouse and keyboard input easily playable with a controller you can use on your couch, and the trackpads are a big part of how they accomplish this.
If that is not a priority for you, then yeah, the controller doesn't make sense at this price point. But for anyone who does want this, none of these other controllers are even comparable.
I still have 2 steam controllers from the fire sale days, and there really isn't any comparison to them. The entire purpose of this controller was to reconttextuaize a gamepad that can somewhat work for navigating a PC. 99% of other controllers are focused on being similar to the big console gamepads.
if you just need any ol' controller, then of course you can either use your existing console controllers as a BT one or buy any of the hundreds of $20-80 3rd party gamepads out there. But that's not what someone interested in a Steam Controller is looking for.
Also, this kind of controller, if we had to find a competitor, is more looking towards the kinds of people who buy "elite" controllers, or genre dedicated schemes (fight sticks, driving wheels, etc). $100 is very competitive for that market.
Not positive their controllers compare perfectly but gamesir controllers are another brand worth checking out if you haven't. That said, the steam controller is a really solid offering for not being above $100.
I'm not sure I get the surprise at the price I've seen across the internet. I'm looking at prices in GBP (where the Steam Controller would be ~£75), but it seems to be almost exactly the same price as a PS5 controller (~£75) and a bit more than an Xbox Controller (~£50, though the offical store suggests it's normally ~£60).
Well, the 8bitdo Ultimate is 60€, and has all the features, minus the trackpads. So 40€ for the trackpads is a lot, especially when I plan to use that controller on my PC, where my mouse & keyboard are right here.
I still want a Steam Controller because I love the Deck, but 100€ is kinda hard to justify
I was about to mention the 8bitdo Ultimate. It's an excellent controller that you can pair with your phone, PC, steam deck, xbox, Switch etc.
It's the best controller I've ever used, and even assuming the steam controller will be 100 EUR in Europe, which may not be the case, it's a very very tough sell.
If you pair that controller with your Switch, how does the orientation of the A B X Y buttons work? I'd kill for a controller that pairs with my Switch but lets me not have to battle my muscle memory to not mix up the buttons from my normal PC gaming.
I first got an 8BitDo Ultimate C Bluetooth for my eldest, and then - after my original Steam Controller died - I got an 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless for myself. The former uses the Nintendo layout, while the later uses the XBox layout. Both work just fine with our PCs, my SteamDeck, and the Switches. (They don't really advertise that the Ultimate 2 Wireless also works with the Switch, but it does in fact! Though you might need a firmware update.)
In any case, the only difference in terms of orientation is in the physical labels on the buttons. The relative position of the buttons you press remains the same. In other words, muscle memory works perfectly, but it can be a bit confusing when the game tells you to press B and you need to hit the button labelled A instead, or vice versa. But if you're looking at the TV and not down at the labels, then they just do the right thing for each system.
It will act like the layout of the thing you pair it to. So there will be a button / sign mismatch on PC, since the version that supports both PC and Switch comes with a Switch layout.
I totally get where you're coming from though, I found AB stuff difficult to get used to as well.
Ah gotcha. Shame, I'd consider getting one if it were the other way around.
One thing that this (probably) does well that the 8bitdo doesn't is a high quality low drift gyro. Right now, the controllers with the best gyros are the Dualsense and the Switch 2 Pro Controller, the latter of which is a hassle to use on PC.
I think the trackpads are a big deal in the living room, where this thing is really meant to be used with the Gabecube. They also aren't normal trackpads, they are pressure sensitive haptic trackpads (similar to what Apple uses on MacBook Pros). None of Valve's recently hardware seems intended to replace a conventional desktop setup.
8bitdo is kinda cheating though, they're by far the best value controllers on the market and they undercut prices on every 1st party controller. I picked up their ultimate 2c for like 25 bucks and its as good or better than pretty much any other non-premium controller out there.
I think a fairer comparison is something like Xbox elite controller
Why is undercutting competition cheating? If Xbox or PS were using console sales to subsidize the cost of controllers, I could maybe agree. But as far as I have heard, 8bitdo is not doing that.
Well it's not "cheating" persay, I was basically just saying comparing the steam controller to that is a little unfair. Why shouldn't it be compared to other 1st party controllers? Saying "oh well its more expensive than the cheapest/best value controllers on the market" isn't exactly surprising, especially when they don't even have the same feature set.
Maybe because PC gamepads are usually cheaper than name-brand console gamepads. There are great controllers from trustworthy companies for $20-30 that do everything a Microsoft-branded Xbox controller will do for $70. A PC gamepad for $100 is rather unusual. None have the features of this new Steam Controller, though.
I was personally ready to pay $70 (like OP) but at $100 I'm questioning whether I care about the extra features.
I mean I would consider a steam controller a “name brand” controller as well. 8bitdo needs to have lower prices to compete with lower brand recognition - meanwhile essentially every PC gamer knows the steam brand.
Those $20-$30 controllers are competing with $50-$60 standard Xbox and Playstation controllers. The Steam Controller is much more comparable to the premium Xbox Elite and Dualsense Edge controllers, which live in the $150-$200 price bracket. The low cost competition for the Steam Controller is the same as for those other premium controllers: $70-$100 "pro" offerings from Chinese manufacturers like FlyDigi and GameSir (who notably also make a lot of the recommended $20-$30 controllers).
It's just a lot of money for a controller. Heck, all of those prices you listed feel too high for a controller to me. Then again I've always been the kind of gamer that doesn't think twice about going 3rd party or wired to save a buck. Further, I don't really like the Steamdeck's touch controls nearly enough (or at all) to pay $99 for them.
I feel like I'm at the other end of the spectrum from a lot of folks on the price. In this economy where everything is getting super expensive, I was worried it was going to end up more expensive. $100 is definitely expensive. That said, if it ends up feeling high quality and holds up to abuse, I think it's likely a fair price point. I plan to pick one up probably not long after release as long as it's received well. I still have and love a couple old steam controllers that are still doing great, so I'm optimistic.
The latest is that the controller is coming on the 4th.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Steam-Controller-release-date-revealed-as-another-review-leaks-online.1283470.0.html
Edit: The Verge is corroborating May 4th launch for $99.
https://www.theverge.com/games/918622/valve-steam-controller-price-release-date-steam-machine-delay
Steam store page has updated now
https://store.steampowered.com/sale/steamcontroller
4th May, £85 for UK
It needs steam to be running, which is quite annoying.
Outside of the of price, which is subjective, this is probably the real downside to it for me. Though in the long run I'm hoping that the open source community work out how to have it fully working without relying on steam input.
I'm not hopeful about the open source work in regards to steam input. It's been a thing for a decade now and as far as I know, we still don't have a solution to use it without steam. I've also read that some earlier workarounds were closed off by Valve but I cannot confirm that information.
So what are the internet peoples' solution to this problem? Add your games as non-steam and run it through steam. Which hardly solves anything. But people love steam so much they will never bat an eye at being forced to use it. So, at the end of the day, it really is just an another first party controller. (Ironically, for PC for the first time) It's priced like one and restricted like one. I hope we'll get either community solution to software or a third party equivalent with trackpads to come into play.
This is only tangentially related to the controller, but
This is something I personally have never understood. From my personal experience, Steam is just as bad and predatory as every other company out there, yet they seem to get a free pass by the community for some reason?
They take a whopping 30% cut from sales, you still don't own the games you purchase on steam (unlike GoG, for example) and their desktop app is a slow, overall dreadful a resource hog. Their regional pricing is completely unfair and exploitatory and the list goes on.
It really annoys me when people (not meaning you) talk about steam like they're some benevolent, charitable entity. And the positive reception and complete disregard for this controller's shortcomings is an excellent example of that. If Epic Games or EA released this controller, the reception would 100% be different.
As the consumer, Steam is pretty much a seamless and customer friendly service. They've ingratiated themselves by providing a rather lax return policy, respond quickly to scams or rugpulls by refunding people, decent to good hardware launches, long time support for their own games and software, generally fairly priced games, don't block you from adding your own games to your library, and aside from their gambling problem don't seem to want to gouge the consumer for all they're worth. They're relatively scandal free because of their secretive nature and their laissez faire approach to the consumer is worth something these days.
The 30% fee is steep but doesn't hit the consumer in any way, so it's easy to wave away as a non issue, their gambling is tucked away within their own games and hides it from most, and not owning games is par for the course (to their very minor credit, at least they're upfront about it). I don't particularly experience Steam as a resource hog, but I'll take your word for it.
Look, I'm not entirely on board with the starry eyed praise Valve gets from everyone, they have their share of problems, but they've undoubtedly made a more consumer friendly and frictionless experience for a boatload of people. To say they're perfect is incorrect, but to lump them in with the likes of EA is also not true.
This hits the nail on the head. I'm not gonna glaze Valve, but I do like their service and I've been a happy customer of Steam for 22 years now. I've never lost access to any of my titles I've purchased in those 22 years, very much unlike all the money I spent with Nintendo over the years.
I still buy stuff on GoG, because I want to spread my money around and want them to continue to exist as a company and service; I've got over 250-games alone on GoG. But currently, I'm playing a game on Steam that I bought 11 years ago and using current hardware to do it; any other service and I'd be trying to hook up an old console and praying it still supports modern Wifi or the store is still available to download from. I don't worry about that (at least for the near future) with Steam.
That sort of supports my point, I think. The things you listed are the bare minimum service expected from an online store. They're doing nothing praise-worthy.
As for fairly priced games, I have to completely disagree. Let's take a popular AAA game as an example that's available on GOG too, Baldur's Gate 3.
On Steam, the game costs 59.99 USD, which is with current exchange rates 48 CHF. On Steam, Baldur's Gate 3 costs 69.99 CHF, which is 89 USD. Excuse me, what?????
The same game on GOG costs 58 CHF, 17% cheaper, and I actually own the game. This is the exact same for the overwhelming majority of games. Steam is actively scamming Switzerland (the most), among other countries. I know developers can change their regional prices, but pretty much nobody does. 60 USD games are almost always 70 CHF.
I generally support regional pricing for poorer countries, but the opposite is ridiculous. They also do 1 USD = 1 EUR in their pricing, even though the exchange rate is 0.85. Poland sometimes gets prices close to Switzerland, with a significantly lower median income.
Steam's pricing is in no way fair and are absolutely gouging the consumer for all they're worth.
I feel like that's glossing over a lot of agency for the developer. In the end, if you don't like the regional pricing for a game, it is mainly on the developer/publisher. They're the ones who determine the cost of the game in every currency.
Steam has a currency calculator, which tries to take into account PPP in addition to the exchange rate, but it is optional and you can change the specific prices afterwards.
In the end, if Larian, a large EU developer, is too lazy to inspect the prices in other Eurozone countries, that's on them. They're the merchant, and the price is ultimately their responsibility.
This is the exact Steam / Valve apologism I was talking about. Yes, the developer could change it, but why is Steam getting waved through for encouraging these outrageous prices in the first place? Why do you think that they are not responsible for it?
How about indie games? How is an indie developer supposed to know which regional prices are fair and rich aren't? And why would they lower a price for a region, if Steam recommend a higher one?
Because it’s not their responsibility? The buck stops at the developer. It’s the developer’s responsibility to set prices appropriate in each market to maximize their profits.
As you say, currency conversion is a complicated subject. There’s not only the raw conversion rate, which can fluctuate wildly based on world events and cause FX risk, but also PPP to consider.
Of course Steam’s automatic price calculator is imperfect. It’s, in the end, nothing more than a baseline for developers to iterate on. It’s like expecting a website template to be perfect.
If you want to do a pure FX conversion, Steam will let you do that as well. That developers don’t is their choice. The buck stops at them.
And before the “blah blah steam apologist” comes out, I think steam is dogshit but for completely different reasons. The steam client is just very old, very ugly, and very slow. It’s unbelievable the store page still just opens the store in an embedded browser in the year of the lord 2026.
Regional pricing? That has nothing to do with them, in the end.
Defaults are strong, though. Especially for smaller devs that won't be able to research pricing cultures in dozens of countries and will simply trust the systems in place.
It's like talking about MSRP but blaming WalMart for not making a PS5 cheaper. They trust Sony's researched a lot of that market price, compared it loosely against their own margins, and went with it.
Depends on the perspective, I suppose. A lot of society got worst at say, a 3x rate this last decade. So valve getting maybe 1.5x worse won't feel as bad. Even if you can argue's Valve's contributions are much more significant than EA's.
Also, A lot of Valve's evils are "boring" if you're not directly in that affectetd scene. Because their game dev is much more secondary and they don't actually interface much with players. If you don't play Counterstrike, you don't "feel" the gambling.
EA's evils aren't actually as bad, but much more high profile. And they release dozens of games per year from many popular licenses. They talk about "a sense of pride and accomplishment" and it's a firestorm for months and ears to come.
On the note of community work to open up the controller beyond Steam Input, seems that a project did exist for the original controller GloSI, and the creator of that has recently moved on to a successor project SISR. So there is some hope out there.
Yeah, that might actually be a deal breaker for me. I liked that the old controllers were simply BT controllers with some mousing controls for the touchpad. I don't want my hardware to be tied to an application as heavy as an entire store launcher; I try to keep steam (and most programs) off except when genuinely needed.
I hope it just means "full functionality with steam" and some basic drivers by itself to function as a generic gamepad/mouse.
Does the controller need steam, or does steam input need steam? Afaik it works fine as a Bluetooth/wired controller with anything, but needs steam for the remappable steam-input layer (which would be cooler to not need that but seems like a fine compromise either way)
Bit of both. According to Gamers Nexus (https://youtu.be/wfr4QN1Hvhs?t=1054) gamepad functionality doesn't work outside steam. Ideally system would keep your latest mapping on it's onboard memory and let you use it without being dependent on a platform but this is not the case here.
From the video:
So just having steam running in the background isn't enough.
Indeed. Steam input always worked that way. So currently the only option seems to be either add your game as non-steam or as @Slystuff mentioned above, a project called SISR is being developed to bridge the gap between steam input and use the hardware at system level.
At the end of the day, it is a bummer that it's not perfect. If price was right, One could easily justify the hassle. But right now, I am torn between. Xinput devices have been my go-to for their compatibility. I wouldn't want a great hardware to be ruined by it's software because it doesn't suit my needs fully. So either you get a TMR controller and a keyboard/trackpad device separately for much cheaper or just buy this and hope for the best.
EDIT: this video does a great job at answering all of the compatibility questions you might have.
EDIT2: Same channel did a more in depth video on how it's trackpad actions work with/without steam.
Damn, that does suck. I have to figure out how much I care about it; my only gaming device is a steam deck, so even non-steam games are being launched through steam anyway, so in theory it doesn't affect me at all. And I trust valve to actually do the work to open up compatibility later. But I really don't understand how it can't keep a "generic Xbox controller" load out built into the hardware in case steam input isn't running. Again, highly unlikely to actually affect my life, but the knowledge that I couldn't use this controller with anything besides my steam deck stings
Being totally honest, it's more than I was expecting and more than I want I pay, but I will buy it because there's nothing else like it.
Since the announcement, I've had it in my head that it would be about $70, so $100 is a bit of sticker shock for me. But, I've had my Deck for going on four years now and the controls are a game changer for me; I still like my standard controllers, but having access to the touchpads just opens up so many options.
I've enjoyed the setup on my Deck so much, I've actually gone back to using my original Steam Controller occasionally. Only occasionally, however, because the lack of a proper DPad and right Analogue makes it only useful for some games. I'm greatly looking forward to setting this up and playing all the keyboard/mouse driven games I play on my Deck, using the controller on my laptop.
I want to love my Steam Deck, and its controls. But after growing into mouse/keyboard, I have such a hard time going back to joysticks or touch pads. What game(s) do you primarily play?
I trot this anecdote out everytime I talk about PC gaming, but I've been doing it for a long time. Over 30 years now and next year will be the 30th anniversary of teaching myself to use the keyboard and mouse for gaming (WASD was a revelation at the time. Everyone prior just used the keyboard only to play FPS games).
Anyway, I used to struggle a lot using controllers, often becoming frustrated with them, but the Deck changed that. Now I much prefer controllers for when I game, because it's a lot easier on my hands and wrists, having developed carpal tunnel in the last several years. But using a regular controller still isn't my favorite thing because of the lack of versatility and inability to play a lot of PC games well.
So, I'll throw out a short list of stuff I play and how I generally use it.
Games that require minimal setup:
Transport Fever 2
Pillars of Eternity
FPS games (classic PC shooters and Boom Shoots)
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Battle Brothers
By and large in these games (mostly TF2, PoE & C&C, BB), they're functional out of the box. I use the right trackpad as my mouse cursor and the left I setup as a clockwise/counter-clockwise motion to scroll the mouse wheel for zooming in and out. Often I'll set the DPAD to 1-2-3-4 depending on direction so I can access quick commands, such as selecting a group in C&C (which is assigned by holding Ctrl and pressing a number. I usually assign left bumper to Ctrl) or selecting an ability to use in Battle Brothers.
Other stuff requires a lot more customization. For example, I play Vanilla World of Warcraft on my Deck and the setup there is quite complicated. Right trackpad as mouse again, but I can hold the left bumper to mode shift, which turns it into the scroll wheel for when I need it. Left trackpad is a radial menu for 5 different abilities and again holding the right bumper changes that radial menu into less urgent hot keys, such as accessing my map, inventory, character screen, etc and there I have about 8 or so different keys bound.
The right joystick is used for my F-keys, F1 through F5, depending on direction, for quick selecting party members for healing when I'm in a dungeon or otherwise. Plus a lot of random other stuff around the buttons, such as a combination of the back buttons being used for Tab targeting, Assist key, Attack Key and Shift key for selecting/looting multiple things at once.
It's complicated, but it's custom to me and therein lies the power and what I want Steam Controller 2 for: Steam Input customization. My first year or two of using the Deck, I only used Steam Input a little bit, never getting too deep into it, but the more you learn it and understand it, the more you realize what an incredibly powerful tool it is to play games how you want to play them. The Steam Controller is just an extension of that, adding the ability to use a proper mouse (which I find 90% as good as using a real mouse), in addition to the ability to basically use the entire keyboard via the other trackpad and various other customizations you can do to the other controls, such as what I've done with Vanilla WoW. This isn't even using any of it to it's full potential, given I typically disable gyro, because I find it annoying, though many swear by it for FPS games, so I may eventually better acquaint myself with that as well.
Edit: hella long post to answer a simple question, sorry. My wife hates that...
Anyway, the TLDR of what games I play: PC games. Games from every era, modern , all the way back to DOS. Games that aren't always designed with a controller in mind, in spite of it often being my preferred method these days.
In good configurations, the trackpad feels like a trackball mouse. For slow moves you're 'rolling' it (and use the gyro). For big/fast movement you flick/spin it, lifting your finger, and a slow deceleration lets it keep spinning fast until you tap back down.
Once that clicked for me, instead of trying to use it like a regular mouse or joystick, it's hard to use the right joystick at all. I now use the right joystick for radial menus.
Index controllers have never cost less than €150 (each, and you need two), so I find this quite reasonable considering Valve's history and the associated economies of scale. They typically don't lower prices but I imagine they could if the controller is wildly more successful than they expect.
$100 is gonna be a little bit of a stretch, but if I’m able to easily swap it between gaming on my Mac and gaming on my Linux box, then because it’s closer to the layout that I prefer as far as joystick placement (the Sony PlayStation controller style) and has a few features that nothing elves has like the dual thumb pads, I may go ahead and grab one.
Of course me being me I’ll certainly wait for reviewers to have their way with it first, then there’s a chance that I’ll wait for the aftermarket to develop and grab one used. Or wait until an inevitable Steam Sale and grab one when it goes on sale for $20, $30 maybe $40 off. I’m patient.
For anyone who'd like an extremely detailed breakdown, Gamers Nexus has one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfr4QN1Hvhs
Small things of note:
If it's worth $100 is probably up to your personal level. Rest of this has been discussed to death already
I would still be willing to get one, even if that's higher than expected. I have one of the original Steam Controllers that I got in the firesale. Should've gotten two.
That said...Strangely, I don't even use my Steam Controller that much anymore. I use my PS4 and PS5 controllers with my Steam Deck or even PCs. And then when traveling, I use one of those tiny 8BitDo controllers.
But I'd rather have in case I need touchpads. It's so good.
That’s a no from me.
I thought at that price it would be DOA but the both places I’ve seen discussing it see it as a fair price.
Unless I can find this for a relatively good price, I’ll be sticking to my 8bitdo Ultimate controller.
I see this comparison made a lot. The 8bitdo ultimate is a decent controller, when you look at the features, you can see where this would cost more.
But is that worth $40 more? It depends on how much you value the extra feature set.
If I was buying today, I'd spring for the new Steam controller, but if I already had the 8bitdo ultimate, I'm not so sure.
As an aside, the leaked review misses the mark as you can't really review this controller without mentioning steam input. E.g. This controller has analog triggers and does support hair triggers through steam input... And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
The 8bitdo ultimate (2) has the gyro, two mappable back buttons and two additional bumper buttons, TMR sticks and a better D-pad than the one on my Steam Deck which looks to be the same one as the new Steam Controller. The 8bitdo software isn't quite Steam Input but provides a decent amount of customization.
I do love the trackpads on my steam deck (I think I commented excitedly on a thread about these new controllers last year) but the price tag does tamper my excitement somewhat. I think the controller went from a must buy to a maybe one day for me.
You're correct, I missed that that when I did the initial comparison. The ultimate 2 replaced the ultimate at the same price ($60, and definitely closes the gap feature wise. And the ultimate 2c is a solid option at $20.
Since steam input broadly supports other controllers, I didn't really consider that as a pro/con for either controller. I don't have an ultimate to test with, but I expect it's reasonably well supported by Steam Input. That was mostly an aside about the leaked review.
I have a feeling they might be positioning themselves along -or mayhaps, in between?- the more premium offers like Flydigi Apex. Which is an all bells and whistles controller at $150. Because, feature wise if you're after a TMR stick controller with back buttons, it clearly loses against Gamesir G7 and 8bitdo Ultimate 2c in terms of price to feature. And both these companies have wired versions which makes more competitive.
However, biggest problem I can think of when it comes to steam controller is that, are we going to be able to use it without steam? Since the previous controller relied on steam input if you need all the features, you had to have your steam running. Which limits you to steam as a platform. Meanwhile all of the offerings can just connect to your consoles, phones, pc etc with no problem.
So far, in order to make a decision, I think I'll have to see the reviews and actual pricing for this. I've been holding off from buying a new controller ever since the leaks of this started appearing. I'm planning to use it as a remote controller for pc when I'm not gaming (which honestly %80 of my gamepad's usage atm) and those trackpads would add a lot of QoL if I could double-duty my gamepad for.Edit: Turns out I didn't really needed to wait long. It's exactly same price as the leaks and reviewers already confirmed it doesnt work without steam being on. I really wanted to avoid getting a mini keyboard and combine it into a single device but oh well.
The ultimate 2 has gyro, but it's not a very stable gyro compared to the Dualsense or Switch 2 Pro controller.
This is actually a huge deal for me because Steam Input makes setting per-game controller profiles trivial while third party configuration apps just don't.
Idk to me it feels like people losing their sensitivity to pricing after the initial GPU crypto boom price hikes, then followed with... the current state that makes people think "Oh $100 is not bad actually".
As others have pointed out, the 8bitdo Ultimate has Gyro and both extra shoulder and back buttons.
For like $70 or $80 perhaps I may've considered it at least as a unique input method but, the d-pad doesn't seem to be much better if at all than the one the Deck has, and the trackpads has only been useful in my experience for 1 game (Marfusha), I'm certain I could find more use for it but I barely use it on the SteamDeck, and I'm not paying $100 for just a maybe feature.
I'm not comparing them to the DualSense Edge or Xbox Elite controller, but to an Xbox controller with extra features or an 8bitdo/Gamesir equivalents.
I'm not against people having fun or use for it, but I'm puzzled because people are having the exact opposite reaction I'd guess for the price.
Unlike buttons and joysticks, the trackpads are custom components. They're a unique interface, and I don't see anyone else competing. The Steam controller is probably more expensive to manufacture.
My family is comparing the steam controller to using a mouse for playing visual novels on the couch. When we think of the controller as a combo controller+mouse, the price seems reasonable.
Priced against an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, it comes out pretty damn favorable. Especially having parity with the Steam Deck.
I love my 8bitdo controllers, but they lack that critical trackpad.
Think you really gotta want what it's selling.
If I never intended to use the trackpads, yeah, I wouldn't bother. I have an SN30 Pro I love, as well as a wireless Xbox One and Xbox 360 controller that I've modded with a better D-Pad. I like all of them quite a lot and they suit me fine when I want to play something controller oriented.
But a lot of the time I want to play, "PC-Ass-PC-Games" and the Deck control style with touchpad just hits that exactly for me. $100 is definitely more than I want to spend and I think my wife will be ok with it, but I'd like to have 2 and I don't think I can justify $200+ for that.
I was hoping for a super-cheap $60 so I could have bought three for under $200. That was a pipe dream I figure.
Guess I just get 2 now, then others later when they go on sale.
As I'm typically the k+m user and the Deck holds up for a few games that are the exception, my xbox controller covers all bases. And I was recently (in January) tasked to work overnights (as salary, which is bs, but that's why I make the big bucks...) and forgot the xbox controller I usually packed for when I set the Deck up with keyboard/mouse/external things/monitor. Grabbed one for under $30.
I honestly don't know why the Deck controller is so good, as I only use the pads when I'm playing a game that isn't natively supported. So if you ditched the pads on the Steam controller, what is the point?
And I'm asking honestly, because the backside buttons behind the deck are completely useless (and even if I tried to use them, they're not natural anymore at my age).
Gyro for mouse and flight controls. The Switch pro controller has a good gyro, and I love it for big mouse movements. The accuracy and ease reminds me of some Wii controls.
Ah, guess I just noticed I haven't played any flight-based games in quite a while, and definitely even longer with a controller. I was into the original Rise of Flight mod for MS Flight Simulator and had a decently-sweet joystick and rudders like 15 years ago, but haven't played since.
I hope they will release a cheaper wired only version. I only play on my PC so I don't need wireless support or the battery.
The original Steam Controller at least took inherently replaceable AAs and worked fine without them..
I think there are better controllers out there for less money if your use case is sitting at a desk. This thing seems explicitly designed for couch gaming, specifically with those big and likely expensive trackpads.
Eh, I think I'm priced out of modern gaming. With this economy, there's no way in heck I'm paying $100 for a controller or $70+ for games. There's basically an infinite backlog of older stuff to play, and my old steam controller still works just fine.
I'm seeing a lot of love for the 8bitdo Ultimate controller here and while it's not a bad controller by any stretch, there are better options under $50 for PC in 2026
Call me shallow, but one of the things I like about my Ultimate 2 Wireless compared to those is the aesthetics, especially after turning off the RGB.
It's the same as with my Keychron HE keyboard and my classic-shell Logitech mouse peripherals - they're rounded, understated, and don't immediately scream gamer bro.
Yeah none of these other budget options look as classy as the 8bitdo. However, after getting a controller with tactile microswitch buttons, I can never go back to rubber membranes.
The price isn’t surprising to me. The Xbox Elite controller has been >$100 since release. Valve’s controller is in no way necessary for any game and is a high end option.