After nearly five years without a new official controller offering from Valve, a brand new gamepad is coming to Steam, courtesy of veteran peripheral manufacturer Hori.
The aptly named Wireless Horipad for Steam looks to bridge the gap between traditional controllers and Valve’s innovative but ultimately discontinued Steam Controller. Launching on October 31st in Japan, the Horipad boasts several features that Steam Deck owners will find familiar.
Firstly, the button layout mirrors the Steam Deck’s controls, including dedicated menu buttons for seamless navigation within Steam’s Big Picture mode. Additionally, the Horipad employs touch sensors on its analog sticks, enabling gyroscopic controls for those who prefer motion-based gameplay. Connectivity options are generous, with the Horipad supporting both Bluetooth wireless and wired connections via USB-C.
But here’s where things diverge from the Steam Controller’s unique design. The Horipad forgoes the trackpads that defined the original Steam Controller, opting for a more conventional dual-analog stick layout. This caters to players who prefer a familiar control scheme, but it sacrifices some of the versatility and unique control options the trackpads offered.
Another key difference lies in customization. While the Horipad boasts extensive programmability through Hori’s software, it lacks the haptic feedback (or “rumble”) and the four rear buttons found on the Steam Controller.
The initial launch is slated for October 31st exclusively in Japan, with four color options available: black, white, neon yellow, and violet. The price tag sits at a comfortable 7,890 yen, which translates to roughly $50 USD.
While there’s no official word on a global release, the Wireless Horipad’s design bears a strong resemblance to Hori’s existing wired Horipad Pro for Xbox consoles. This could hint at a potential wider rollout in the future, but for now, PC gamers outside of Japan will have to wait and see.
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