Good Luck Trying To Get Your Hands On Valve's New $99 Steam Controller

The much-anticipated Steam Controller became available to order on May 4 for $99, and everyone rushed to do so — for all of thirty minutes. It sold out that quickly and the frenzy took the Steam store down with it. There was a sliver of hope shortly after, as the "Buy" button returned and it seemed that the controller would be available, but that was only until the all-too-familiar "Out of stock" message returned. 

Originally announced alongside a new Steam Machine, the Steam Controller features innovative hardware and a price tag that puts it in competition with premium controllers like the Xbox Elite and DualSense Edge. Notably, Valve confirmed our worst fears about the Steam Machine, explaining that its launch would be delayed due to hardware shortages.

As you can expect with any limited release, eBay listings for the Steam Controller have appeared with inordinate costs attached — upwards of $750 for some eye-gouging offers. It goes without saying, but you shouldn't purchase your controller through those listings, because if you do, you're supporting scalpers, and you don't really know if their listings are legit. The unfortunate exception is if Steam doesn't sell hardware in the country where you live.

Valve issued a statement on X, explaining that the controller ran out of stock faster than anticipated. "We hate that not everyone who wanted one was able to get it." That's understandable, and many will agree. But the company notes that it's "working on getting more in stock" and will have further updates to share "soon."

First, congratulations to those select few who were able to secure their orders. But for anyone not in the know who might be looking at this as a standard controller, the hubbub surrounding it likely seems a bit over the top. So what's with all the hype?

Much of the anticipation around this new device stems from how it improves on the original Steam Controller. Valve's first iteration made the controversial design decision to replace the D-pad and the right thumbstick with trackpads, whereas the new Steam Controller sports all the same buttons and joysticks you'd expect from a standard console controller while simply adding trackpads to the mix. These trackpads are key to the unique design — they allow PC players to use the pads like a mouse or touch-sensitive controls. But also, Steam Controllers have a high degree of personalization and some fantastic user support. You can create, download, and apply dozens of control schemes and layouts easily through Steam.

Moreover, the new model comes with the Steam Controller Puck for charging, battery life of up to 35 hours, and TMR magnetic thumbsticks to help eliminate potential stick drift even after numerous periods of play. It's difficult to say if the controller will deliver on the hype until it's in everyone's hands, but early reviews are starting to come out and tech pundits are sharing their experiences, so we should know soon enough. At the very least, while some of the best controller options for your Steam Deck were previously from third parties, now you have the option to use one from Valve directly. If you can get your hands on one, anyway.