The Escapist brings you up to speed on all there is to know about the new and improved Steam Controller to go along with the Steam Machines. 

Remember the Steam Controller? Well, it’s back in top form, new and improved for 2026. While the original “Owl” gamepad had its fans a decade ago, launching alongside the ill-fated Steam Boxes, this latest iteration appears to have learned from the mistakes of the past, promising comfort and precision for PC-like versatility from a games console. 

Yes, the Steam Hardware announcement has gotten both the PC and console gaming worlds in a stir as Valve looks to be confidently hedging its bets on the (historic) three-horse race. We’ll be going over the expected Steam Controller release date, potential pricing, specs, functionality, and analyzing how the gamepad stacks up to the DualSense and Xbox Wireless Controller, too.

The Escapist recaps 

• The new Steam Controller was revealed on November 12, 2025, as part of the Steam Hardware announcement. 
• No official pricing or release date has been confirmed for the Steam Controller other than a window of “early 2026”. We estimate it will retail between $70 and $80. 
• Valve’s latest Steam Controller features haptic feedback, grip-enabled gyro, and magnetic thumbsticks alongside the “Controller Puck” for playing and charging. 
• The Steam Controller will ship alongside the upcoming Steam Machine as its OEM gamepad and will be available to purchase separately for use with Steam Deck, gaming PCs, and laptops. 
• It’s Valve’s second attempt at a dedicated PC gaming pad after the original Steam Controller was discontinued more than six years ago. 

Expected Steam Controller release date 

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. 

We can speculate on the Steam Controller release window as Q1 2026, the earliest months of next year, meaning a range between January and March. It’s not uncommon for new hardware to launch around the time of CES, which is held in January, and (likely) where we’ll get a confirmed date for worldwide availability. Hedging our bets, we believe this controller will be released with the Steam Machines first, possibly in February, and standalone in March 2026. 

This release strategy would give consumers an incentive to purchase a Steam Machine, if only to see what the next-generation gamepad can do, before it’s available separately to anyone who gets their hands on the Steam Frame, or simply wants an external controller to play their Steam Deck docked to the TV, laptop, or gaming rig. This is purely speculative on our part, and we’ll be updating you with official guidelines the second that they’re announced. 

How much could the Steam Controller cost? 

Unfortunately, there’s no received word on the Steam Controller price, but that doesn’t stop us from making educated guesses based on the current gaming PC market. As a frame of reference, the original Steam Controller from 2015 debuted at $50 in November of that year with the launch of Steam Link. It’s been unavailable in new condition for years, and its price fluctuates wildly on the used market. Because of the ill-fated nature of Steam Boxes, it adopted a cult status, whereas the 2025 version looks to be targeting the mainstream. 

As an OEM gamepad, the Steam Controller price could follow suit with the Xbox Wireless Controller and the PS5’s DualSense, with rates ranging between $60 and $80. This would make sense as it would make buying additional controllers for couch co-op play more of an affordable and enticing option than retailing for upwards of $100+, as some PC gamers have feared. 

We do, however, need to factor in the likes of the Xbox Elite Series 2 and the Dualsense Edge, which are available for $180 and $200, respectively, and serve as their console’s “pro” options. It’s highly unlikely that Valve’s new Steam Controller will retail in these eyewatering price ranges, especially considering its otherwise (seemingly) affordable and accessible nature with its other hardware up until this point. Because of this, we think $70-80 could be its MSRP.

Steam Controller specs analysis 

The Steam Controller appears to be a fairly high-tech piece of kit. Before we analyze what’s inside it and what it means for playing PC games, we need to know the technical specs, which you’ll find below: 

While the release window and price are still to be determined, we are fully aware of the Steam Controller specs, and the hardware seems incredibly promising. Starting with its connectivity options, Valve has opted for what it calls the “Controller Puck”, which acts as a combination of a reinforced magnetic USB-C hub and a dedicated charging station, in the vein of a play-and-charge kit. You’re also getting Bluetooth and standard USB as connectivity options. 

Valve’s fascination with attractive forces doesn’t end there; the new Steam Controller is rocking TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistance) thumbsticks to eliminate stick drift and offer high-precision movement. Exactly how TMR sticks rival their Hall Effect counterpart still (largely) remains to be seen, but it’s a notable step up from the usual resistive thumbsticks seen on its competitor’s OEMs. 

Speaking of its competitors, Valve has clearly taken some influence from Sony’s DualSense as the Steam Controller is said to feature HD rumble for “immersive, accurate haptics”, and grip-enabled Gyro, which the company calls “Grip Sense”, mapped to the rear of the controller and powered via capacitive touch. In other words, it looks to offer those immersive gaming amenities that PlayStation’s rocked for half a decade now. 

I know what you’re thinking, you’re wondering about the two massive square trackpads just underneath the symmetrical analog sticks. As was present on the previous Steam Controller, and confidently features on the Steam Deck, Valve has once again doubled down on its touchpads, which emulate the precision of a laptop trackpad, which is better for certain genres of games. 

We’re confident it feels better in the hand than it looks in the promotional material. While some PC gamers were no doubt optimistic that Valve would forgo these or move them to the rear of the controller, the touchpads are here to stay. As with the Steam Deck’s integration of the Steam Input API, you’re able to configure them (and any of the buttons, bumpers, triggers, and sticks) to your liking or use a custom preset, which is a massive win for accessibility and comfort. 

Further doubling down on its companionship to the Steam Machine, the Steam Controller doesn’t need the puck to wake and function with the incoming games console. Valve says you’ll be able to wake it up with the press of a button, but that doesn’t necessarily guarantee the same will be said for its other uses. That remains to be seen. 

Ask The Escapist 

References

1. What is the expected price range for the new Steam Controller? (Reddit)

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