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Valve may be working on a new version of the Steam Controller

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Speculation time: As someone who makes heavy use of their Steam Controller, I will admit that the possibility of a proper second generation has me quite excited.

PCGamesN recently wrote about it, which included a video from the YouTube channel Critical Input. The video goes over a Patent published in December last year, which shows it has a slightly different design with batteries that possibly go into the middle (hooray!), along with the back paddles being split into two on each side. That's pretty interesting but what's more exciting, is that it seems Valve may have already been testing it, as references were found in the Steamworks SDK for it.

Oh, on top of that it seems the Patent also mentions multiple "force sensitive resistors", which has "an electrical resistance" so it can detect how much pressure you're applying on it. Something similar is used the Valve Index Controllers (previously known as the Knuckles Controller).

You can see the video below:

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While not confirmation, it's pretty good evidence towards something happening. As a hardware company now as well as software, with Valve now manufacturing the Index VR system they're probably in a good place to bring out a second generation Steam Controller.

This could all turn out to be nothing more than Valve playing with ideas of course, but I have hope especially since references were found in the actual SDK.

Would you grab this if it becomes a reality to purchase? I will be running to get in line if it happens, especially as I confessed my continuing love of the Steam Controller only recently.

Hat tip to Naib.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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41 comments
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Kimyrielle Jul 4, 2019
I love the Steam controller and would quite certainly eventually replace it with a newer version, at least at the end of its life. My only gripe with it (although not Valve's fault) is that Godot engine doesn't support it, so I can't add controller support to my own games. :S
Linas Jul 4, 2019
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I literally have not used a mouse and keyboard for gaming ever since I got a Steam Controller. I think it really shines in first person and third person games. Twin stick shooters are a bit more tricky, but work ok.

The only thing I struggle with is strategy games. Somehow I find marking units accurately very hard. Which is weird, because that is what it is supposed to be good at...
miro Jul 4, 2019
count me in. gonna buy this 1st day, I used my SC for 1000 ingame hours, a new one would be appreciated anytime LOL
kuhpunkt Jul 4, 2019
Hopefully the thumbstick works on this one... not like on the Index Controller
Mohandevir Jul 4, 2019
Oooooohhhhhhh yeeeeeessssss!

I was affraid to lose my trackpads if ever one of my Steam Controller failed me. Best news since Steamplay!

Edit: I'm in a Doom run, atm, and I tried playing it with my Shield controller, with a DS4 that I borrowed from my son's PS4 and nothing comes close to my SC's trackpad with the gyro for precision shooting.


Last edited by Mohandevir on 4 July 2019 at 8:19 pm UTC
aldy Jul 4, 2019
Great, the best controller gets even better.
D34VA_ Jul 4, 2019
This would be perfect, if it turns out to be a reality. I love the Steam Controller, but have become quite enamored with some of the fancier XB1 Pro controllers' rear buttons. This could be the upgrade I need.
mphuZ Jul 4, 2019
If they do not make normal soft bumpers, like the Dualshock, buy the second version does not make sense.
Ananace Jul 4, 2019
The four paddles and pressure sensitivity sound frankly amazing.

As it is, the original is my favourite controller so far, even if there are things that I could see there being room for improvement on.
I love the fact that the Steam Controller runs off of regular batteries, though if they included a NiMh charging circuit that'd be cool. I love the trackpads on it, though I'm not perfectly sold on the patterning on the left one. I love the dual-stage triggers, though their travel is a bit too short. I love the high-precision linear actuators, though they could really do with better regular rumble emulation and support.

Most of all though, I love that I can easily flip it to BTLE for use when I'm out travelling, so I don't have to worry about losing the dongle.
Mennenth Jul 4, 2019
You may need a correction, actually digging into the text of the patent, the batteries will still be in the grips. The graphic may be that way just to show its battery powered.
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