After months of waiting, Valve has officially unveiled the release date and price for the Steam Controller, though there is no information shared about the Steam Machine or Steam Frame just yet.
We originally shared the news about the Valve Steam Controller, Steam Machine and Steam Frame back in November 2025. However, back in February, Valve announced a delay regarding the Steam Machine and Frame. The good news, though? The Steam Controller remained unharmed. Valve finally announced that the Steam Controller will be available to the public as of May 4, 2026, at 10 am PT.
The Steam Controller is functional with anything that runs Steam or the Steam Link app, like your desktop or laptop. It is also fully compatible with the Steam Deck, Steam Machine and Steam Frame. This new device also has some really unique features that set it apart from other PC controllers.
Steam Controller Features:
- Magnetic thumbsticks (TMR)
- Full set of inputs to play your whole Steam library
- 4x haptic motors for high definition rumble
- 8.39 Wh battery; 35+ hours of gameplay on a single charge
- Grip-enabled gyro (6-axis IMU)
- Trackpads with “increased precision and customizability”
- Steam button & Quick Access Menu
- Four customizable grip buttons on the back
- Steam Controller Puck (USB cable included) enables plug-and-play low-latency wireless connection & easy magnetic charging
The trackpads are what we are most curious about here at CGM. This isn’t something you will find on most standard controllers, and Valve outlined some of their uses in their recent blog post:
“The trackpads on Steam Controller provide an enormous amount of flexibility for playing, especially in their ability to act as a mouse replacement for these kinds of games. They’re highly precise and customizable, which allows you to dial them in whether for a cozy puzzle game or a highly competitive shooter. Besides just using them as a mouse, in Steam Input you have the option to map them as many other things as well, like button clusters, joystick, virtual menus, and more.”
We are eager to get our hands on Valve’s latest device. Luckily, the Steam Controller will be available for $99 USD/$149 CAD, and you can purchase it on May 4th at 10 am PT on the official product page.
