Valve’s Steam Controller price leaks after embargo-breaking review

Late last year, Valve unveiled three new hardware products and initially planned to release them in early 2026. However, ongoing component shortages have delayed those plans, with no official pricing or release dates confirmed so far. That said, a recent leak suggests that at least one of these devices may be closer to launch than expected.

Although the official hardware embargo remains a mystery, a Steam Controller review surfaced on YouTube prematurely. The original creator pulled the content, but it had already been captured and shared again by other sources (via VICE). 

One of the biggest takeaways was the controller’s rumored price. According to the leak, it could launch at $99 - around $25 more than a standard PS5 controller and significantly higher than Valve’s original $49.99 Steam Controller from over a decade ago. If accurate, this would position it somewhere between standard and premium gamepads.

The new controller itself appears to be a substantial upgrade. It features dual trackpads designed to better support mouse-and-keyboard-style inputs, magnetic thumbsticks to reduce the risk of stick drift, haptic feedback, gyro controls, and an 8.39 Wh lithium-ion battery. Its layout is also said to closely resemble that of the Steam Deck, making it familiar for existing users.

The existence of early reviews suggests that a release may not be far off. Meanwhile, Valve is still working on its other upcoming hardware, including a Steam Machine powered by a Ryzen 6-core CPU, RDNA3 graphics, and 16GB of RAM, as well as a next-gen standalone VR headset. These larger devices are likely more affected by the current memory and storage shortages.

As a result, Valve could choose to launch the Steam Controller separately while continuing to delay the Steam Machine and Steam Frame headset until supply constraints improve. For now, though, it’s best to treat this information cautiously until Valve provides official confirmation.

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