Valve's New Steam Controller Is Truly Next-Gen

Forbes - "The other day, I mentioned that it seemed likely Valve’s Friday announcement would be a new gamepad designed for Steam and the newly announced Steam Machines/SteamOS. I hoped we’d see a game announcement, but I suspected strongly that this was not going to be the case."

[aquamala]

this is either brilliant or terrible, will find out when I get my hands on one

[s8anicslayer]

Do you plan on buying one, or did you get into the beta?

[Ragthorn]

I 100% agree with you, this is a hit or miss. I am though anticipated to get it, but I will definitely be getting a Xbox One Controller if it will be supported on the Windows PC. I was fine with the 360 controller, but this looks interesting, I hope this turns out well though.

[Zodiac]

This is true hit or miss if i ever saw one. Some may see that as an insult, but the WiiU,PS4,Xbox One,3DS, and PS Vita all have analog sticks and d-pads, which makes this controller a very risky move.

[DeadManIV]

not exclusive to steam machine though, will come to PC supports every steam game, i think. Im willing to give it a try

[Biohazard8860]

need too try before i say if bad or not...

[Hazmat13]

to me its a miss. but that just me. not my cup of tea. ill try the steam box but ill just use a KB or Xbox or PS3 controller.

[TheEnigma313]

It looks cool, but I think i will stick to using my 360 controller for gaming on the pc.

[Pandamobile]

It'll be interesting to see how FPS games handle on this. This could be the first controller that actually works well with shooters.

[SilentNegotiator]

Oh stop. Not everyone has difficulties playing FPS games with a controller. I've played plenty of FPS games with both mouse (with high dpi) and controller without whining about controllers being supposedly so terrible.

[Pandamobile]

People may not have difficulties with them, but thumbsticks still operate a lower level of precision (and that's not even debatable).

Digital input devices have always been better for shooters than analog. If Valve can get an intuitive digital input system in a controller, that could make a big impact for FPS games.

[Hassassin]

that's cause you have aim assist

[SilentNegotiator]

I hate aim assist and always turn it off if possible.

Nice try, though.

[BraidedWALLACE]

after owing an played using the touchpad on my xperia play.. not sure how i feel about that controller at the moment, but will be picking up a steamBox in the feature.

[TesMgsFan]

Good idea, but bad design

[Statix]

The only real design flaw I see is the lack of an analog stick on the left side (for movement.)

[Lisica]

Do you need an analog stick on the iPad too?

[Drummerdude41]

I love the conept! Will definitely pick one up for my rig when it is released.

[yellowgerbil]

Woah so innovative truely a REVOLUTION cough nintendo cough

[BOLO]

Yamauchi has passed away...And Nintendo looks to be joining him shortly.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

You can say the controller is next generation, and I'm not arguing that, but u feel like only this could only be done on a new platform, unsurprisingly by Valve. If Sony or Microsoft tried this, they would be castrated by their existing fanbase who are scared of change. Very interesting controller regardless.

[Saryk]

You know what, you hit the nail on the head. PC users want to soar like a eagle, console users are a bunch of turkeys!

Seriously, like Apple, some people like that limited accessibility that consoles have. Simple, no fuss type of gaming machine. I agree that if MS or Sony done kind of radical change, existing users would hate it.

[solar]

People here think the Share button on the DS4 was some sort of innovation. This controller, if it works great, truly is innovation

[KwietStorm_BLM]

It doesn't have to be one or the other. They both do their own thing.

[breakpad]

Futuristic ,nice looking comfortable may be but doomed to fail... NO analog sticks ??? Valve what are you thinking ... it is the only element that dooms the whole try (the button configuration can be used but this NO)

[Pandamobile]

The trackpads are the entire point of this. If it used analog sticks, it would just be a weird looking Xbox 360 controller.

[DigitalRaptor]

Ahem.. Do you not realise that these are "digital" analog sticks. These appear to be precise and low-latency touch pads. Imagine how long it takes to move a stick in each direction, when the single pixel movement of your thumb will be quicker, more fluid and more precise.

[breakpad]

well ...i understand what they are doooohhh...but an analog stick gives to the gamer a more interactive feeling of control.. im sure that other companies Sony ,Nitnty (older , more experienced than valve and with better research teams) are not dumb to not have implemented this type of controlling on their pads...a controller MUST have a stick! thats an undeniable fact it is experimented and approved.. end of story

[Statix]

I love the overall idea and design. Using a touchpad (or even a trackball) to replace the right analog stick has been something I've wanted for a long time.

I also love the buttons on the back, so that 6 fingers aren't wasted idling about doing nothing on the rear of your usual controller anymore. Scuf professional modded controllers have been doing this for a while, and it's a great innovation.

However, I'm extremely iffy on the idea of using a trackpad for the left stick (movement). I have serious doubts that's going to work well, and it may very well be the one, single design decision that causes this controller to flop.

[the worst]

trash

[Brazz]

ok, let's face facts...
this is a huge bet, I have no doubt that some games will be played with comfort and ease with this control, but I did not put the "hand in fire" to predict whether this will be a success or will be a failure, i think that the 2nd option is more plausible, because majority of people don't like radical changes like this. (hell, this completle change the way to play some games!)

[GentlemenRUs]

Sadly i'll still be sticking to M&K... They took all this time for a controller and not hl3...

[Feralkitsune]

YES, because the same people in the company who were working on this HARDWARE, would be the exact same people working on making a video game. TOTALLY makes sense.

[AbortMission]

It looks so weird. I'm sorry but touchpads are not good replacements for thumbsticks.

[Feralkitsune]

Can't really say that unless we've used it. And, no one has.

[SephirothX21]

The Valve has turned and nest gen has just become a three way race.

[Statix]

SO NEXT-GEN: http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[Grave]

lmao. pwnage.

[XboxFun]

I really don't know what to say because I haven't tried it. It looks interesting but I guess I have been so accustomed to a d-pad and sticks that anything else just seems....foreign.

But I trust valve knows what they're doing and if they say it'll work then it should work.

But I am concerned about fighting games...I never use the thumbsticks for fighting games will this work with it?

But then again i'm sure if you are playing fighting games on a PC then 98 percent chance you already have a modded stick.

[Deltaguy]

anything valve does is amazing and innovative to these sheep

[solar]

Like the DS4 "Share" button?

[Deltaguy]

yep

[solar]

funny. while Valve pushes innovations, Sony, MS and Nintendo copy one another.

[Somebody]

A controller with touch integration loaded with PC features(e.g. the quick save/load options and open customization). And it is designed to play RTSes too...

Very interesting indeed.

[skydragoonity]

I Love this controller

[LetoAtreides82]

Fail controller, here's why:
1. No dpad

2. No face buttons (like triangle/square/etc on PS4, A/B/etc on Xbone)

3. No headset input

4. Only two trigger buttons, PS4 and Xbone have 4.

issues 1, 2 and 4 will be huge problems for the controller, it would make it harder to port PS4/Xbone games to the Steam Box.

[xRedline]

@LetoAtreides82

2. Look closer toward the middle of the controller. It has Y X B and A.

[Somebody]

"4. Only two trigger buttons, PS4 and Xbone have 4".

Strange. In the picture I can see that there are four separate functions around the triggers which might indicate four triggers/buttons (the top two are rather small). Also there are two extra buttons at the back if you miss the missing two triggers/shoulder buttons.

Furthermore it's designed to be recognized as a keyboard/mouse when connected so it wouldn't be a problem if a PS4/XB1 game is ported over to the PC. Devs won't have to waste time to make NEW drivers or control schemes since all they need is the good old KBM configuration.

[Dasteru]

1. You do not need a Dpad when you have this type of track pad.

2. Opening ones eyes before looking at a picture tends to help.

3. Never mentioned one way or another, no alternate angle pictures shown, you have no way of knowing if it does or not.

4. It has 6 triggers. The top ones are both 2 way rockers plus there are 2 more Z-style triggers on the back.

[alexkoepp]

"Instead of thumb-sticks, the new controller uses two touch trackpads which Valve says come close to the precision of a mouse and keyboard."

Traditional controllers come close to the precision of a keyboard and mouse, so it sounds like you are offering a new way of doing the same thing...

Looking forward to trying it out though

[Dasteru]

Traditional analog sticks aren't even close to the speed or precision of a mouse, not by a mile.

[Ragthorn]

Thumb Sticks nowhere near as close to as traditional Mouse and Keyboard...

[alexkoepp]

If they were nowhere near as close, you wouldn't see the same games on PC as platforms, they are close. Is a controller as precise? No - but to try to claim it is this huge gap is quite ridiculous. I play all my shooters on PC with the Xbox 360 controller and have no problems at all getting in the top spots on the leader boards in those games.

Playing with a keyboard and mouse is just uncomfortable, a controller is much nicer.

And as far as mouse speed goes, I like the delay a controller provides, its much more realistic. People shouldn't be able to flip a 180 quicker than humanly possible, and to turn a tank turret 180 degrees takes a few seconds, not a fraction of one.

And when it comes to FPS a controller gives you 360 degree control of movement (left stick), you can walk at any angle you like. A keyboard gives you 8 directions in 45 degree increments... not as precise is it?

[EXVirtual]

I think this controller is too much of a bet.
Track pads in replacement of analog sticks with awkward face button placement is not a megaton.

[cheeto101]

Its a good idea and it might work well for strategy games (which really is one of the few genres consoles have had difficulty breaking into because of control issues).

For shooters, i think it will run into the same problem controllers run into in that the muscles in your thumb, biomechanically, can't be as precise as the mouse which uses muscles in your hand/wrist/forearm.

Hopefully it proves me wrong, because I would much prefer to sit at my couch and do away with all the space a mouse and keyboard takes up.

[xKugo]

Really innovative and "next-gen". Now all they need is a killer app and I'm pretty much sold. HL3!!

[Aleithian]

Agreed. This could be as revolutionary as the introduction of analogue sticks in the 90s.

[Dante81]

Looks like dark helmet.

[Ragthorn]

Who else remembers the Dreamcast Screen on the controller. Oh so many memories... I am personally very interested in this. I need to get a hands-on experience with it though.

[sAVAge_bEaST]

I very much want to try this,, to 'get the feel' of it.

[Tzuno]

Microsoft is biting his hand now because they have not patented such a idea. Ha they got owned. Ms is a hater now ahahahahhhhh!!!

[quenomamen]

U need that feedback from the sticks, u cant get that on touch pad. This is a no go.

[Davuskus]

It looks awesome!

[MultiConsoleGamer]

Revealed the hand built proto over a year ago.

[mochachino]

I think I'd prefer a left analog and a right trackpad thing.

[McScroggz]

People seem to confuse "innovative" and "different". We won't really know if this controller is innovative until it's been released and if other GamePad's try to emulate some of the unique features of the controller.

That being said, do we really think this controller is innovative? I don't. I certainly don't think track pads will replace analog sticks. I definitely don't think the really awkward looking placement of face buttons will become a thing. Honestly, this looks like a trainwreck that might be good for very specialized purposes.

I just have a hard time believe a trackpad and a thumb will come even remotely close to the precision of an actual mouse. Valve is a great company and I'm willing to give them a chance, but I think this controller is just very awkward.

[AWBrawler]

no analog sticks? seriously? I hate track pads. Heck even the dang wii had at least one analog stick.

[Felonycarclub8]

I want to try this controller but are they trying to go for casual players? And I would love to see how it performs against analog sticks?

[ATi_Elite]

Valve is doing it BIG!

That controller is GREAT!

Still will use KB/m but a Steam controller will be awesoem for console games.

[Dagobert]

Sure it looks next gen or whatever but wow I can't imagine that being comfortable.

[deecee33]

IF they pull this off and come up with something almost as accurate and responsive as a mouse, we might see something similar come standard with the Xbox Two and PS5 -- this would be a game-changer if done correctly.

[AIndoria]

If this were any other company people would be having a field day with this.
EA NEW CONTROLLER
RUINS GAMING FOREVER

[AWBrawler]

yep. double standards

[The_Truth_24_7]

Joysticks >>> trackpads

[The_Truth_24_7]

And kb/m.

[The_Truth_24_7]

DS4 FTW!

[mysteryraz11]

looks horribe