Steam Deck owners urge Valve to make Steam Controller 2

The Steam Controller has been discontinued for five years, but Steam Deck owners are calling for Valve to release a Steam Controller 2.

One of the Steam Deck‘s biggest features is that is’ not just for playing games while on the move, but can be used as its own battlestation. Similar to the Nintendo Switch, with a Steam Deck dock, the Valve handheld can be played on your smart TV or gaming monitor, with a wireless gamepad like the Steam Controller.

While the Steam Controller is compatible with the Steam Deck, using one with the Deck in docked mode does mean missing out on some of the handheld’s best features. The added trackpads, precise gyro-controls, and programmable back button pads are unique to the Valve handheld’s controls.

With that in mind, Steam Deck owners are urging Valve to replicate the Steam Deck’s tight controls with a Steam Controller refresh.

In the r/Steam Deck subreddit, user legitseabass posted their frustrations with using the Steam Deck in docked mode with the post entitled, “A Steam Controller 2 is Just What The Docked Experience Needs.”

“I adore my Steam Deck, and I love playing it docked, but I find myself more often than not just playing it handheld because the controls are so tight”, they explained.

“The gyroscope controls are leagues above other controllers. I’ve tried Xbox One Controllers, PS4, PS5, Switch Pro controllers, generic controllers, and even the original Steam Controller, and nothing compares.”

Fellow r/Steam Deck subreddit user Musth, shared the OP’s sentiments, commenting, “I completely agree and I would definitely buy a SC2 as soon as it is announced.”

The Valve Steam Controller launched and was subsequently discontinued well before the Steam Deck was released. Yet, when asked about the Steam Controller 2 during an interview back in 2022, Steam Deck designer Lawrence Yang stated to The Verge that they “want to make it happen.”

There have been no subsequent comments from Valve on a possible Steam controller refresh. However, it’s clear from the Reddit post, that there’s a clear market for a Steam Controller 2 among Steam Deck owners.

Valve no longer sells the original Steam controller, and if you want one second-hand, you can expect to pay upwards of $219. However, there are plenty of controllers out there compatible with the Steam Deck that offer up gyro controls, and even useable trackpads.