Steam Controller review: Somehow both the most and least versatile PC controller

May 6, 2026 - 00:25

Valve has a reputation for ambitious hardware that doesn't always land with a thud, but the Steam Controller is a different beast entirely. It is, depending on how you look at it, either the most versatile PC controller ever made or one of the least. The truth, as is often the case, sits somewhere in the middle.

The controller's defining feature is its dual trackpads. They replace the traditional right analog stick with a haptic touch surface that can mimic a mouse, a joystick, or even a scroll wheel. For games designed with keyboard and mouse in mind-like strategy titles, point-and-click adventures, or complex sims-this is a revelation. You can finally play Civilization or Cities: Skylines from your couch without a lap desk. The gyroscopic motion controls also add a layer of precision for aiming that standard thumbsticks cannot match.

However, the versatility comes at a cost. The controller is deeply, almost painfully, tied to Steam's own configuration software. If you want to use it with a game from Epic Games, GOG, or a standalone launcher, you are in for a fight. You have to add the game as a non-Steam shortcut and hope the overlay works. Even then, the controller's true power-its ability to remap any button to any keyboard key or mouse function-only shines inside Valve's ecosystem. Outside of it, it often feels like a standard, slightly awkward gamepad.

The build quality is solid, with a comfortable grip and satisfyingly clicky face buttons. But the placement of the analog stick, shoved to the top-left corner, feels unnatural for modern shooters or platformers. The trackpads themselves, while innovative, lack the tactile feedback of a real thumbstick for precise movement.

In the end, the Steam Controller is a triumph of ambition over practicality. It is the best controller for the games that don't want a controller, and a mediocre one for the games that do. If you live entirely within the Steam library and enjoy tinkering with control schemes, it is a brilliant tool. For everyone else, it is a fascinating but flawed experiment.