14 DAY TRIAL // Valve has confirmed that it's now targeting a 2015 release for its Steam Controller gamepad, as it's busy getting feedback from all sorts of early users and incorporating it into the final design of the long-awaited device.
Valve impressed a lot of gamers when it confirmed the Steam Machines initiative and the Steam controller, which both promise to establish gaming on a computer as a great experience in the living room, not just at a desk.
Since the official reveal last year, Valve and its hardware partners have presented different Steam Machines prototypes, and the first ones are set to debut this fall.
Valve was also targeting a fall late 2014 debut for its Steam controller, but apparently the studio decided to not rush the development process of the gamepad and is now targeting a 2015 release.
The announcement was made by Valve's Eric Hope on the Steam Universe group, who confirmed that the studio is busy gathering feedback from all sorts of people before completing the final design.
"We’re now using wireless prototype controllers to conduct live playtests, with everyone from industry professionals to die-hard gamers to casual gamers. It's generating a ton of useful feedback, and it means we'll be able to make the controller a lot better. Of course, it's also keeping us pretty busy making all those improvements. Realistically, we're now looking at a release window of 2015, not 2014."
"Obviously we're just as eager as you are to get a Steam Machine in your hands. But our number one priority is making sure that when you do, you'll be getting the best gaming experience possible. We hope you'll be patient with us while we get there. Until then, we’ll continue to post updates as we have more stories to share."
The Steam Controller has already gone through a pretty big redesign earlier this year, when Valve dropped the touchpad in the center of the device for two sets of four buttons, in the form of a D-pad and an Xbox 360-like ABYX layout.
Pause and stop buttons have also been added alongside a center one with the Steam logo. Their functions, however, haven’t been explained, so it's going to be interesting to see what Valve has planned for them.
As of yet, no other details are known, so stay tuned for more development updates from Valve about the Steam controller and from its hardware partners about their own Steam Machines mini PCs that should still launch later in the year.