Valve's Steam Controller launches May 4, but says 'we don't have exact timeline details' on Steam Machine

After months of rumors and speculation, Valve has finally announced that the new Steam Controller will launch on May 4, priced at $99 in the US, €99 in Europe, £85 in the UK, $149 CAD in Canada, and $149 AUD in Australia. As much as Valve tried to keep things under wraps, pricing had already leaked in an accidental embargo slip-up weeks earlier.

The announcement also settles one long-running question. The Steam Controller is launching separately, and neither the Steam Machine nor the Steam Frame has a confirmed release date. Valve has no real updates to share on either product, with programmer Pierre-Loup Griffais telling IGN when asked about the timeline, "Yeah, we don't have exact details about the timeline to share today," though he thinks "in general, things are going well."

As for the controller itself, it works with any computer running Steam and can also serve as a generic phone controller. A report from The Verge adds a few more confirmed details, including Valve's partnership with iFixit to produce replacement parts, meaning players can repair the device themselves with a proper guide.

Additionally, Valve could add more ways for players to track the Steam Controller's battery life within the Steam dashboard. The company says it has built a "significant quantity" and has the capacity to produce more.

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That said, early impressions of the controller are positive. The Verge notes that the controller supports Steam Deck-style control profiles and customization, making it a natural fit for Steam Deck owners who dock their handheld to a TV. Polygon wrote that "Valve has finally proved that its quirky first draft had its head in the right place; it just needed the right revisions."

The Steam Controller will eventually connect with the Steam Machine console and Steam Frame VR headset, but neither product has a launch window yet. For now, it is the first retail product from Valve's 2026 hardware lineup to actually hit shelves.