Valve Preps Steam Controller 2 Unboxing Video Fueling Launch Speculation
Valve's explosive Steam Hardware announcement last year didn't just include the much-anticipated Steam Machine and intriguing standalone Steam Frame, but also a proper successor to the original Steam Controller. The new Steam Controller, which shares a name with its predecessor and so has been unofficially dubbed 'Steam Controller 2', appears primed for an imminent release, based on a recently discovered video. The caveat is that it's not publicly viewable yet.
Thanks to a SteamDB listing first spotted by @SadlyItsBradley on X, we now know that the upcoming Steam Controller 2 has a dedicated unboxing video that was silently uploaded to Steam last night. While the video itself is still private and inaccessible to the public, the existence of the unboxing video alongside other recent teases of a Steam Machine launch point toward the new Steam Hardware going on sale sooner rather than later.
Fans of the original Steam Controller know that while it was ambitious for its time, its innovative dual touchpads did come at the cost of traditional dual analogs and D-Pad. Steam Deck maintained the gyro controls, trackpads, and four back buttons while also adding back traditional inputs, with the added finesse of touch-sensitive sticks for functions like gyro toggling.
Steam Controller 2 further builds on these innovations by adding touch sensitivity to the handles as well as upgrading the dual analogs to full drift-proof TMR sticks, which should give it far improved longevity versus mainstream console controllers.
While the existence of the unboxing video doesn't prove very much in isolation, it does suggest that the product is ready to ship. There's even a possibility that the new controller may launch ahead of Steam Machine and Steam Frame, which may disappoint some but does make a lot of sense considering current market conditions around DDR5 memory that both units require. Plus, for the majority of Valve's existing audience who already have perfectly capable gaming PCs, Steam Controller 2 is likely a much easier sell than a second PC or a standalone VR headset that may not be needed.
I know I'm excited for it, at any rate: as an outspoken fan of Steam Input and high-quality gamepads in general, Steam Controller 2 can't come soon enough and is likely a day one buy for me. Hopefully, this news means that day is just around the corner, and I'll be able to use the hyper-flexible inputs on offer for my entire library of PC and console emulated games alike.
