The new gamepad boasts some innovative features

Mar 6, 2015 08:12 GMT  ·  By

Valve has finally unleashed the full details about its long-awaited Steam Controller, including the final design of the peripheral, all the info about its various features, as well as a November 2015 release date and a 49.99USD (45.36 EUR) price.

Valve presented its Steam Machines initiative and the rather innovative Steam Controller a couple of years ago, hoping to dazzle the world and get the devices into production as soon as possible. However, things weren't quite ready and only now are the projects becoming a reality, with hardware makers presenting their own Steam Machines, while Valve is putting the finishing touches on its own products.

The final Steam Controller design is here

After presenting the SteamVR project using the HTC Vive headset, Valve now presents on its Steam service the final design of the Steam Controller.

As you can see in the image attached, the design has certainly changed from what was revealed some time ago, as the same dual trackpads are present, but an analog stick, conventional "face" buttons and more have been added to the layout.

Even so, with all the different features, Valve is convinced that the gamepad will be a blast to use both in games that have controller support but also in those that don't really go all that well such as control input.

"The Steam Controller lets you play your entire collection of Steam games on your TV—even the ones designed without controller support in mind. Featuring dual trackpads, HD haptic feedback, dual-stage triggers, back grip buttons, and fully customizable control schemes, the Steam Controller offers a new level of precise control. Find your favorite mappings in the Steam Community, or create and share your own," the company says.

The Steam Controller uses a low-latency, wireless standard and boasts that its trackpads can be used in all sorts of ways and in all sorts of games. There are also the dual stage triggers can perform multiple tasks, as a first stage press can bring up a crosshair and a full motion can shoot a gun in a first-person shooter, for example.

There are also haptic force actuators in both grips that should deliver increased feedback and rumble when using the controller. Throw in the different configurations that can be shared via Steam and the new gamepad might herald quite an innovation when it debuts in November.