Valve said its new Steam Controller goes on sale on 4 May, reviving the device as the successor to its long-discontinued 2015 controller. [1]
The company first unveiled plans for the controller in November 2025, when it also announced a Steam Machine mini PC and a new standalone VR headset called Steam Frame. [1]
Valve had originally planned to launch the hardware at the start of 2026, but in February it pushed the schedule back after global shortages of memory and storage hit its wider hardware plans. The company then said it was aiming to launch before the middle of 2026. [1]
Valve said the Steam Controller is not affected by the RAM crisis because it contains neither RAM nor storage. Valve designer Lawrence Yang said the company is shipping the controller now because “this is when it's ready,” adding that the delay was driven by the time needed to finish the hardware, firmware and software, and to build launch stock and move it to warehouses around the world. [1]
Valve engineer Jeremy Slocum said the controller grew out of Steam Deck development, where controller-style prototypes in handheld form helped the company refine the ergonomics. He said the layout had been in mind during Steam Deck work and could make “a pretty good controller design.” [1]
Valve's new controller goes on sale today, 4 May, with the company now moving from announcement to shipment on the date it had set for launch. [1]
