With the announcement still incredibly fresh, Valve has yet to formally confirm the Steam Controller release date outside of an “early 2026” window. The one thing we do know is that it will ship alongside the Steam Machine as the OEM gamepad, and will be available to purchase separately for use on the Steam Frame and general gaming PCs as well.

The new Steam Controller combines the full gamepad experience with premium features like TMR sticks, motion controls, capacitive sensors, trackpads, and four programmable back buttons.

The gyro controls also offer a grip sensing feature, which turns on the gyro when you're holding the controller, and disables it when it's released. It also can be used to recenter the gyro. This might prove an important feature if you're barrelling towards the ground in a fighter jet in Battlefield 6 due to dropping your Controller.

Ayyoun is a staff writer who loves all things gaming and tech. His journey into the realm of gaming began with a PlayStation 1 but he chose PC as his platform of choice. With over 6 years of experience in the game journalism industry, he's been loving ...

Valve has announced three new Steam hardware products, which will all be shipping out in early 2026. Next year will see the launch of a new Steam Controller, a Steam Machine for PC gaming, and the Steam Frame VR headset, with specific launch timing and pricing to be shared after the first of the year.

Valve has officially launched the new Steam Machine: a compact, SteamOS-powered gaming box that claims to deliver more than six times the horsepower of a Steam Deck. Paired with a revamped Steam Controller,

The modern Xbox controller and Sony DualSense both conform to the same general shape that gently cups your palms and leads the thumbs right to the necessary joysticks and face buttons. A comfortable design has led to stagnation,