Valve has unveiled the controller that will work with its upcoming Steam Machine videogame console. The Steam Controller features an impressive number of innovations and features including two trackpads, a central touchscreen and 16 physical buttons.
The Steam Controller is a huge step in another direction when compared to more mainstream controllers from gaming consoles such as the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3.
"Whole genres of games that were previously only playable with a keyboard and mouse are now accessible from the sofa," Valve states on the announcement page. "RTS games. Casual, cursor-driven games. Strategy games. 4x space exploration games. A huge variety of indie games. Simulation titles. And, of course, Euro Truck Simulator 2."
Valve, which has made a name for itself as a popular content maker of indie games for the PC will be stepping into the world of gaming hardware, and it will do so in its own style. Many alternative game consoles like Ouya attempt to beat the likes of Nintendo, Xbox and PlayStation at their own game. While they achieve this goal successfully in many ways, at the end of the day they're a long time away from dethroning any of the mainstream giants.
Making these PC games playable with a controller, according to VentureBeat, will be Valve's biggest problem. The trackpads will replace the analogue sticks on most controllers. Each pad will register movements from player's thumbs. You can also click down on the pads, meaning people don't have to forego the clickable thumb stick controls for commands that need to happen while moving.
The controller will also have a haptic feedback vibration. "The Steam Controller is built around a new generation of super-precise haptic feedback, employing dual linear resonant actuators," states Valve in its announcement. "These small, strong, weighted electro-magnets are attached to each of the dual trackpads. They are capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing precise control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement."
This marks the end of a week of announcements form Valve to showcase its new move to get its stylized brand of gaming into the living room. The first was the announcement of Steam iOS on Monday and then Steam Machines on Wednesday.
