Valve sets May 4 release date and $99 price for new Steam Controller

Valve has set a firm launch date and price for its new Steam Controller, with the device scheduled to go on sale May 4 at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern, for $99 in the U.S. Sales will run through the Steam storefront, according to Valve’s announcement on X and the controller’s Steam store page.

That makes the Steam Controller the first product in Valve’s late-2025 hardware lineup to get a specific release date after the company’s Steam Machine and Steam Frame were delayed. It also marks a return to Valve’s PC-focused controller idea, updating the original Steam Controller formula with features drawn from the Steam Deck approach to trackpad and motion-based input.

Valve is marketing the device simply as the Steam Controller, not “Steam Controller 2.0,” though some early coverage has used that shorthand. The main design centers on two trackpads meant to offer more mouse-like control and navigation, alongside two TMR magnetic thumbsticks that Valve positions as a way to reduce stick drift and improve responsiveness. The controller also includes standard inputs such as ABXY buttons, a D-pad, triggers and bumpers, plus four configurable rear grip buttons.

It also adds 6-axis gyro motion controls and a capacitive “Grip Sense” feature, which can be used to activate gyro only when the player is actually holding the grips. Valve is also touting HD or precision haptics, essentially more detailed rumble feedback than a basic vibration motor.

One of the more unusual accessories is the included Steam Controller Puck. Valve says it works both as a low-latency proprietary 2.4 GHz wireless receiver and as a magnetic charging dock. The controller also supports USB-C wired play and Bluetooth. Early reports say a single puck can handle up to four controllers on one receiver.

Battery life is another point Valve and reviewers have highlighted. Early review coverage, citing Valve, says the controller has a built-in battery of about 8.39 watt-hours and can deliver more than 35 hours of typical use, though that is not an independently verified test.

The controller’s software support is likely to matter as much as its hardware. Valve says the best fit is for devices running Steam or Steam Link, including Windows, macOS and Steam Deck. Through Steam Input, Valve’s control-mapping system, users can remap buttons, assign functions to the rear inputs and use community-made control profiles.

Outside Steam, the experience may be more limited. Early coverage says the controller can behave more like a generic HID, or human interface device, and mouse hybrid when it is not running through Steam software, which means users may not get the full feature set. Valve engineers told press the company prefers relying on Steam software rather than separate kernel-level drivers.

Reviews from outlets including PC Gamer and Tom’s Hardware were already live ahead of launch, with early impressions generally praising the flexibility and feature set while noting a learning curve and the $99 price.

The original Steam Controller launched in 2015 and stood out for its dual-trackpad design and deep Steam Input integration. The new version appears to extend that same idea with lessons from the Steam Deck’s trackpad-and-gyro control model for PC and living-room gaming. Valve first showed it in November 2025 alongside the Steam Machine and Steam Frame, but those devices still do not have exact release timing.