The Steam Controller was released in 2015 but Valve decided to axe its rotation just four years after its inception. Interestingly though, Steam Deck has been gaining popularity and success recently. So if its momentum continues to show good numbers, the company might just revive the Steam Controller.
Steam Deck designers, Lawrence Yang and Pierre-Loup Griffais, talked about the future of Valve’s hardware in an interview. When asked about the possibility of putting out a new iteration of the Steam Controller, Yang said that the company is actually hoping to create one.
“Yeah, we want to make it happen,” he claimed. “It’s just a question of how and when.”
It holds true though that Valve’s focus is entirely on the Steam Deck, but it does not mean the door to reviving a Steam Controller is closed. Yang even added that they would definitely explore the idea of reviving the hardware, especially since it is something they have always wanted in the first place.
When pressed about a timeline, Yang reiterated that, in the meantime, they are zeroed in on the Steam Deck. Yang also said that if that day comes, they would have two options in bringing the Steam Controller back. They would work with a third party or explore the process of creating the hardware themselves.
While the Steam Controller piqued the interest of many before its launch, it failed miserably as soon as it arrived. Some reviews would suggest that the overall feel of the hardware was just cheap, saying that it might not just last long. There is no doubt that Valve did everything it could but sadly, it just offered a mediocre gaming experience almost all the time.
Steam Deck, on the other hand, became an easy favorite and quickly gained a huge following after its release in February. Valve reaffirms that it is “a multi-generational product" and that newer versions are being made. For these new releases, the designers said they want to improve the overall screen and battery life. Although there is no timeline yet for these new Steam Decks, it is exciting to see what these newer versions would offer.
