Valve may be on the verge of releasing its long-awaited Steam Controller, following a leak that revealed an encrypted unboxing video hidden in a recent Steam update. The video, spotted by Brad Lynch on X, cannot be viewed but its filename confirms its contents.
The unboxing is expected to showcase the controller alongside a puck-like dongle for connection and charging, and may demonstrate setup and mouse-input capabilities. The leak comes amid shipping records showing Valve received a large quantity of wireless controllers, suggesting a launch could be imminent.
Valve has faced delays and price hikes for its Steam Machine and Steam Frame due to the ongoing memory pricing crisis dubbed 'RAMageddon'. However, the Steam Controller is less affected by these constraints, leading to speculation it might be released early as a standalone product.
Releasing the controller ahead of the Steam Machine could boost interest in the SteamOS ecosystem. Developers have praised the controller's 'Mac-like' trackpads, similar to those on the Steam Deck, and a Godot XR developer has been using one for months to prepare the engine for launch.
Valve aims to release all Steam Hardware in the first half of the year, but an early Steam Controller launch might soften the blow of potential delays to other products. For Steam Deck users, the controller will feel familiar, essentially being a Deck without the screen.
