Valve's £85 Steam Controller divides gamers ahead of May launch
Source: BBC Technology
New Steam Controller announced
Valve has announced its new Steam Controller will be available to order from 4 May, priced at £85 in the UK and $99 in the US – a cost that has raised eyebrows among some gamers. The second‑generation gamepad will be compatible with PCs, Valve’s handheld console the Steam Deck, and the upcoming Steam Machine gaming PC.
“The Steam Controller may be more expensive than the standard controllers from Nintendo, Xbox and PlayStation, but we do live in a time where companies including Sony and Microsoft are selling premium controllers for £150‑£200,” said Chris Scullion, deputy editor of Video Games Chronicle.
There has been a negative reaction from some gamers on social media, though early hands‑on verdicts appear positive.
“The early hands‑on verdicts on the Steam Controller appear to be positive, so while I don’t see it taking over the Xbox Wireless Controller as the most commonly used PC controller, I can still certainly see it selling reasonably well among the smaller group of core enthusiasts willing to pay more for such a peripheral,” Scullion told BBC News.
Valve vs consoles
Reviews have been largely positive about the wireless controller’s haptic trackpads, which let players simulate mouse controls in PC games, and its magnetic “puck” that syncs the pad to a PC and charges it. The pad is designed to work only with devices running Valve’s PC gaming platform Steam and is not compatible with consoles.
Much of the online discussion has focused on the price – roughly twice what the first generation cost in 2015. It sits between current standard tiers for console controllers (≈ £45‑£65 / $60‑$75) and premium versions (≈ £120‑£160 / $150‑$200).
The price has led some to speculate about the potential cost of the Steam Machine, Valve’s second attempt at a gaming PC designed to bring PC games to the TV. The Steam Machine does not yet have a specific release date.
Valve’s first hardware effort was released in 2015, but it failed to break into a market dominated by Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo. In February, Valve announced it was revising both the price and release date of the Steam Machine, alongside its wireless VR headset the Steam Frame, while still aiming for a launch in the first half of 2026.