Another day, another step closer to the fabled Steam Box. Over the past few days, Valve announced Steam OS , a proprietary operating system, and further detailed that Steam OS will be compatible with Steam Machines . Today it announced a third piece of the puzzle, the Steam Controller, which is a far different sight than most controllers we see today.
The Steam Controller’s most prominent feature is the dual track pads on the controller’s face. Yes, the Steam Controller does not utilize analog sticks or face buttons, but rather two touch pads that can be clicked in different areas in order to simulate button presses or mouse clicks. The controller does have four traditional buttons, but these are centered around a central touch screen which, itself, is clickable like a huge button. The controller will also feature two shoulder triggers and two buttons on the back of the controller as well.
“We set out with a singular goal: bring the Steam experience, in its entirety, into the living room. We knew how to build the user interface, we knew how to build a machine, and even an operating system. But that still left input–our biggest missing link,” Valve said. “We realized early on that our goals required a new kind of input technology–one that could bridge the gap from the desk to the living room without compromises. So we spent a year experimenting with new approaches to input and we now believe we’ve arrived at something worth sharing and testing with you.”
The Steam Controller will be compatible with every past, present, and future game to be released on Steam.