Owners of the Valve Steam Deck are asking for a brand-new version of the Steam controller to support docked play. However, with the first Steam Controller failing to make a splash, would Valve release a new one?
Similar to the Nintendo Switch, the Valve Steam Deck supports docked play to connect the handheld to a TV or monitor. While it doesn’t have the removable controllers of the Switch or Pimax Portal, it does support all manners of Bluetooth devices.
Despite this, fans on the Steam Deck subreddit are asking for a new version of the Steam controller that can support all of the handheld’s gimmicks in one handy pad. This includes the device’s built-in gyrometer as well as touchpads which can act as computer mice.
Steam Deck fans have asked for a controller that mimics the handheld’s but without the device’s large screen. This would result in two sticks, two touch pads, face buttons and four back buttons — that’s a whole lot of controller.
“This would be an incredible play,” one fan explained. “Release a new controller with the full set of steam deck buttons: 4 back grip buttons, two trackpads in front, and it works with the whole suite of steam input features we get on deck, but now also on PC (m/kb emulation, trackpad menus, everything). I would throw my money at them so hard.”
Of course, Valve did release its first Steam Controller in November 2015, alongside its ill-fated Steam Machines. However, the controller proved unpopular and was discontinued in 2019, years before the Steam Deck hit the market.
While the Steam Controller was initially controversial, it has since been praised as a vastly underrated game controller. With its high degree of software customisation, large number of features and great compatibility, the Steam Controller is now more beloved than ever. (It should’ve had more than one stick, though.)
The Valve Steam Deck is available right now, as well as the much snazzier Steam Deck OLED. Valve is also working internally on a Steam Deck 2, but that won’t release for a number of years.