We are waiting...

I've said it before, just.. give me a Steam Deck without the screen, and I'll buy it. I need that layout, it's the perfect combination of features for me.
If I could be greedy, an extra set of back paddles and some extra "spare" buttons would be nice for flight/space sim games.
- Hell or go one further and don't even attach them together. It would be a great HOTAS like experience for space games.
- So you'd plug in a monitor or TV to play?
  
  Either connect them to a docked Steam Deck by the TV, or my gaming PC, yeah. The Steam Deck is nice, but for an extended session it's quite a hefty device. Being able to have the same controls while laid back on the couch or reclined in a chair would be more comfortable I think.

Im actually holding off buying a new controller just in case they actually do something with the SC2 that was leaked, so.. real x3
- Same
- Been there... Done that... until I didn't. Then, I got a GameSir Super Nova. I'm super happy with it :)
  
  Most controllers I looked at either were lacking features I consider a must, or basically what I have for double the price tbf, which is why I kinda want the steam one :3

I know it got a lot of hate at the time, and much of it well deserved, but for many games I think the steam controller was one of the best.
I quite enjoyed mine for Rocket League back in the day, the remappable controls were quite nice.
Currently I use a SCUF DS4 for my Linux gaming and while I love the Controller in theory, the inability to remap the paddles to a custom button chord instead of just a button that's already on the controller is frustrating.
Steam Controller 2 is on my must buy list.
- I never really used mine much, but it was solid and innovative...I should dig it back out and mess around with it again...
- It was the only controller I could ever play first person games with!
  Track-ball mode on the right TouchPad is just... chefs-kiss
  I love my steam deck but I'm extremely disappointed by the TouchPads compared to the steam controller

I still use my steam controller every day. If they release a version 2 I would instantly buy 2.

Making just another controller with similar features to existing ones people are familiar will not fly. They need to make it as good as dualsense, ad some new feature that is easy to use, and make it cheap. Native gyro for pc is what i would like to see, and maybe pressure sensitive buttons.
- And which titles will support that?
  I really dig what they did with the touchpads on the Steam Deck, and something like that, complete with the fully comprehensive mapping and input scheme system on the Steam Deck, would probably get me to buy one even though I am very happy with my XBox Elite 2 controller.
  
  Steam Input means every title supports that. I’ve been using gyro with my Steam Controller on PC for years now.
- Just like a steamdeck without the screen. The trackpads are irreplaceable

If Valve was planning on releasing hardware soon they're going to postpone given the tariff threat.

Tell me about it!!!!
I thought we were super close to an announcement since that 3d model was found in the SteamVR files and then.... Nothing....

We're waiting for you... In the test chamberrrr

To play devil’s advocate, why does Valve need to bother to make their own controller when there are a number of wired and wireless controllers available for PCs?
- Because the Steam Deck is my all-time favorite controller. A controller that’s just like it but without the bulkiness would only make it better
- Because PC controllers these days are nothing but different variants of the same Xbox and Playstation controllers. The Steam controller is different from the rest of them, at least.
- None have additional buttons on the back that can be mapped as new buttons, they're all just rebinding existing buttons. Steam deck is pretty special in that regard. I would REALLY like to have those four extra buttons available for couch PC gaming.
  
  Steam already lets you remap those back buttons on other controllers to anything you want through their interface. Isn't that how you'd do it with a Steam controller?
- Because they're all shit, each current controller has some kind of downside when wanting to configure it for games.
  Either Steam input doesn't recognise extra buttons, or the ones that do have issues with being Bluetooth only.
  I've tried the vader 3 which was great, but unrecognised so needed extra software to remap for each game which was never as simple as steam input and required me to use a mouse and keyboard which isn't great with a htpc setup.
  And then recently I've tried the horipad for steam, this is almost perfect except for only two back paddles, the face buttons being weirdly shaped so the some of them stick when pressing them and the Bluetooth is shitty.
  If steam input allowed the full use of generic controllers instead of ones that have been explicitly set up, I'd have no issues, I'd be able to find the one for me. But because they don't do that, I'm waiting for the steam controller 2 because a full layout just like the steam deck would be the dream.
- Because nobody's making something like the Steam Controller 1, but better, which is what a SC2 would be, one assumes
  If someone else were to make one I'm sure people would cream their jeans if they weren't bespoke and expensive

I have a stack of new steam and stadia controllers in my studio. Both last for fucking ever. meanwhile xbox and playstation controllers fail after a couple of months.
- Damn what are you doing that's destroying these controllers? I have controllers from Microsoft and Nintendo that are over a decade old at this point and still work with regular use.
  
  The xbox one controllers I had developed stick drift after 6 months or so, series controllers held up better but I still ended up swapping to hall effect and more recently tmr sticks to avoid stick drift
  
  Donno, it's always wireless or bluetooth related.
  I do have a wired Xbox360 controller that's still kicking ass.

I just found this!
https://github.com/steam-deck-controller/steam-deck-controller
Looks like a project to basically cram the steam Deck components into a 3dprinted shell - but it isn't finished yet!
There's a proof of concept video in there where it's shown connected to a PC with a standard USB ribbon pinned to a 2.0 A head... Might have to give it a go someday!

Dude, seriously!! I really do hope this becomes a thing. I would LOVE to have a controller that mimicks the steam deck's controls, but without a screen... That SteamVR leak looks like that's basically exactly what it is!! 😭 PLEASE, valve!

Just looked up the leak for a steam controller 2 and I think I'd rather stick with my wired PowerA switch controller. I am not a big fan of the original steam controller design and personally don't like the design of the leak.
I get some people would absolutely love it, but I'm definitely in the "Do Not Buy" crowd. Not even to say I own one.
- Fair enough to chime in with your disinterest in a new controller, but...
  Why would anyone buy something just to say they own it? What the hell kind of "keeping up with the Joneses" shit is that?
  
  It would technically fall under video game accessories, so I guarantee there are people who might want one because they collect that type of stuff.
  I think one of the closest comparisons I could make are people who buy retro games/consoles just to display them and never actually use them.

That's what I need to know

8bitdo ultimate 2c controllers are fantastic and have a good price.
- Do they have 2 touchpads?
  
  Or gyro?