After showing off Steam OS and Steam Machines, Valve recently revealed the last component it needs to invade the living room: the Steam Controller.
While already known for games such as Portal and Half-Life, Valve Corporation is also widely recognized for launching Steam, a software distribution platform for PCs, back in 2002. These days, the company has seen Steam’s potential for living room dominance.
Last week’s trio of announcements first presented Steam OS, a Linux-based operating system that allows the Steam platform to run beyond Windows and Macs. Soon after, a hardware beta called Steam Machines was announced. Developed in tandem with third-party partners, it is a variety of consoles that gamers can choose from depending on their budget and needs.
Completing the experience is the Steam Controller. As shown in the photo above, it’s not the conventional gamepad we’ve seen from the likes of the Playstation and Xbox. In lieu of analog sticks are two trackpads, along with a touchscreen and buttons, for what Valve claims to be a “vastly superior control scheme.” The controller is even hackable, allowing users to modify and share configurations to friends and the Steam community.
More information is available on the Steam website.
Man, that controller would be awkward at fighting games
“it is a variety of consoles that gamers can choose from depending on their budget and needs.” – It’s a PC. Not a console, guys. Pft.
It’s a computer dedicated for playing video games in the living room. So, yes, we can safely call it a console too.