The Life and Death of Valve‘s Steam Controller
When Valve first unveiled the Steam Controller in 2013, it represented the company‘s big push towards making PC gaming in the living room as seamless as on desktop. Sporting a radical dual trackpad design that ditched traditional analog sticks, Valve envisioned opening up even hardcore keyboard and mouse-driven genres to the couch with unprecedented precision and customization compared to conventional gamepads.
The controller‘s 2015 launch came alongside the Steam Machine initiative to provide pre-configured hardware for steam users to easily enjoy PC gaming in the comfort of their living room. With over 125 granted patents covering its innovations, it was evident the Steam Controller represented some of Valve‘s biggest bets towards the future of its PC gaming platform.
An Ambitious Attempt to Redefine Control Schemes
On paper, the Steam Controller‘s unique hybrid controls sought to merge the fine-grained accuracy of a mouse with the ergonomic comfort of a gamepad. Rather than relying on imprecise thumbsticks, the controller tracked the precise x & y coordinates of the user‘s thumbs on two high resolution trackpads. Advanced haptic feedback simulated the tactile feeling of everything from pulling a bow string to driving over rocky terrain.
This opened up new possibilities like faster camera panning/aiming traditionally not viable on analog stick controllers. The controller was highly customizable as well, with the ability to tweak sensitivity curves and assign macros to the back paddles tailor-made for popular games. Valve envisioned a future where PC gamers could enjoy even hardcore shooters and real-time strategy comfort from the couch.
The Challenging Reality of Adoption
Despite strong endorsements from video game outlets regarding the controller‘s innovative approach, general consumers found it polarizing compared to conventional dual-stick controllers. The advanced controls came at the cost of a steep learning curve. Most gamers still preferred the familiarity of thumbsticks for general gameplay.
The trackpads excelled at improving mouse accuracy, but faltered at replicating analog input. Genres relying on precise thumbstick control for movement just didn‘t feel right according to many users. The unique form factor also meant issues fitting into charging docks and third party accessories.
Adoption outside a niche group of enthusiasts was further hampered by spotty game compatibility. Without proper Steam integration, getting games to recognize the controller‘s advanced inputs often required tedious binding configuration. These usability friction points contributed to lackluster sales that were likely below company estimates.
The Console Gaming Surge
While the Steam Controller ambitiously sought to transform PC gaming controls, the gaming landscape saw monumental shifts on the software front as well. Console and cloud gaming rose greatly in prominence. Portable gaming continued to grow exponentially thanks to smartphones. PC gaming remained vibrant, but lost overall market share.
The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 sold over 170 million units combined last generation thanks to big investments from Microsoft, Sony, and publishers into exclusive franchises and online services. Enhanced cross-platform capabilities also reduced reasons to own dedicated gaming PCs. PC game sales stagnated as players gravitated towards console and mobile experiences.
Steam Machines Fail to Gain Traction
As part of Valve‘s living room initiative, the Steam Controller was meant to be paired with Steam Machines – dedicated PC hardware from partners like Alienware and Origin running Valve‘s SteamOS. Despite high profile appearances at events like CES 2014, Steam Machines failed to seriously challenge the console market upon launch in 2015.
Priced higher than PlayStation 4 and Xbox Ones while boasting fewer games and less powerful hardware, Steam Machines appealed to a narrow niche. PC gamers still preferred the flexibility of building their own rigs. Console gamers saw no compelling reason to abandon their platforms and libraries for an unknown ecosystem. Less than 500,000 units sold in the first year across all manufacturers.
| Platform | Lifetime Sales |
|---|---|
| Xbox One | Over 58M |
| PlayStation 4 | Over 117M |
| Steam Machines | Under 500K |
Without a viable path challenging console gaming in the living room, Valve pulled manufacturing support for Steam Machines by 2017 while continuing to develop SteamOS and associated tools in the background.
Steam Deck Resurrects the Living Room Opportunity
Despite the Steam Controller failing to reach mainstream success alongside Steam Machines, Valve revived its living room ambitions with 2022‘s launch of the Steam Deck portable PC gaming handheld. Powered by a custom AMD processor allowing triple-A PC titles on the go, the Steam Deck addresses many of the price and power drawbacks holding Steam Machines back.
Over 200 games now feature default integration with the Steam Deck‘s controls out the box. Multiplayer couch gaming is thriving thanks to support for multiple Bluetooth controllers. The platform‘s early momentum points to a potential second wave of living room gaming if Valve decides to move forward with a docking station and improved big screen interface.
A Second Chance for the Steam Controller?
While the Steam Deck features respectable built-in controls, many experts and users agree there is room for improvement from a standalone controller better suited to the device and living room gaming.
Valve is uniquely experienced and positioned to deliver this thanks to knowledge gleamed from the Steam Controller project. Refinements to lower the learning curve while retaining innovative capabilities could drive mass adoption where its predecessor failed. Rumors circulate of Valve working on a follow-up Steam Controller to pair with a future Steam Deck Dock.
With PC gaming revitalized in the living room thanks to the runaway success of the Steam Deck, the environment is ripe for Valve to take another shot at revolutionizing gamepads. By learning from past missteps and leaning into its advantages on software innovation, there yet remains hope for the Steam Controller‘s unconventional legacy to improve PC gaming from the couch.
