After several design changes and false starts, Valve has announced that they have finally decided on a controller design for their flagship Steam console.
The controller is set to unveil in March of this year at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco during a company presentation of its Steam Machines.
The design of the Steam Controller has always been a touchy subject because of the nature of PC gaming vs console gaming. With such a heavy reliance on a point-and-click interface, analog sticks don’t really deliver the same level of precision or satisfaction when playing certain PC titles. The original and beta Steam Controller had touchpad trackpads to try to get around this issue. It is unknown at this time what the final controller design will be.
The Rocky Transition From PC To Console Gaming
The design of the Steam Controller has always been a touchy subject because of the nature of PC gaming vs console gaming.
Valve first announced its decision to break into the console market back in 2012. With such a large PC consumer-base, this seemed like a nobrainer. But since then, gamers have been holding their breath for what seems like forever, patiently awaiting any news of what the system and its accessories will look and feel like. Finally, the console, now dubbed the Steam Machine, will be shown and demoed at GDC.
It should also be clarified that in reality, Valve will not be producing the consoles on their own. Instead of one Steam Machine, consumers will be purchasing a Steam Machine from a variety manufacturers. 14 PC companies have confirmed their own version of the console, each with a wide array of hardware and specs but all running the same Linux-based SteamOS, so gamers will have their choice of Steam Machine to fit their particular needs.
Alienware was the first to release their Steam Machine, the Alienware Alpha, late last year, just in time for the holiday rush. Although the reception has been fairly lukewarm (especially since SteamOS is still in beta), the PC masquerading as a console was noted as at least demonstrating what a “Windows Box” could feel like. Hopefully the addition of a dedicated Steam controller and several other hardware configurations can bring to light Valve’s original vision.
Is a Valve living room console really the way of the future or was it simply wishful thinking on the behalf PC gamers? Do you think that the new controller design and presentation at GDC will bring back the enthusiasm we once felt for the Steam Machine? Let us know in the comments below.
