With both Sony and Microsoft showcasing new controllers for their upcoming next-gen consoles, it seems Valve won’t sit idly by, as the company has filed a patent that mentions a new Steam controller with swappable parts.
Related Reading:
- PS5 Controller Revealed, Called the “DualSense”
- Xbox Series X Controller Features a New D-Pad, Textured Grip
This was spotted by Valve News Network creator Tyler McVicker, where we have an image of the new Steam controller patent, along with a few details about what it does.
The description states:
Described herein are, among other things, handheld controllers that include housing having one or more receiver portions for detachably coupling to one or more controls. For example, a housing of one such controller may include, on a front surface of the housing, a receiver that is configured to detachably couple to one or more joysticks, one or more D-pads, one or more track pads, one or more buttons, and/or the like. In some instances, a user may swap a first control for a second control based on a current application (e.g. game title) that the user is playing, based on comfort for the user and/or for any other reason.
Mind, Valve patenting this thing doesn’t guarantee that it will see the light of day, it is an interesting patent and one I can see a lot of people liking. This could prove beneficial for gamers on PC that prefer in-line sticks, or even be a good controller for handicapped gamers that want more customization in their controllers.
Are you digging this new Steam controller patent or should Valve focus on other improvements on the controller first before introducing a new one?