The new official Steam controller comes from Hori and will arrive this Halloween

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There’s a lot to look forward to: Hori is known for its high-quality console gamepads and has released PC controllers before, but working directly with Valve on an officially licensed pad is somewhat unexpected. Additionally, this is the first controller that Valve has licensed since it stopped using the Steam controller nearly five years ago. However, Hori has only confirmed a Japanese release so far.

Gaming accessory maker Hori has revealed an officially licensed Steam controller that will ship in Japan on October 31st. So far, only Hori’s Japanese website and social channels have mentioned the pad, but it would be strange if the peripheral remained exclusive to Japan.

Similar to newer controllers from other manufacturers, including high-end models from Microsoft and Sony, the Hori offering will include four extra programmable inputs – two small buttons below the D-pad and right analog stick, and two rear pedals. According to a machine translation of the company’s promo images, it also supports gyroscopic and rapid-fire functions.

In addition, the sticks are equipped with touch sensors that users can customize for different inputs, while the triggers can switch between digital and analog modes to better suit different genres such as shooters or racing games.

The home button is a dedicated Steam button that launches Big Picture mode and opens the in-game Steam menu. Hori also included a quick access button on the Steam Deck that will bring up a quick menu in Big Picture mode during gameplay.

Although the controller includes Steam and X-input modes for use outside of the Valve launcher, the gyro buttons, touch sticks, and menu buttons are exclusive to Steam mode. Hori will offer an app that will allow users to customize a number of controller functions independently of the Steam Controller Configurator. The gamepad supports wired and Bluetooth connections.

Despite being an officially licensed Steam controller, Hori’s product forgoes the trackpads that Valve’s original Steam Controller and Steam Deck use to simulate mouse inputs. Furthermore, Hori doesn’t mention hall-effect joysticks, which are resistant to the drift effect that has plagued recent official console pads.

In announcing the partnership with Hori, Valve provided a detailed update on using the controller on Steam. Currently, about 15 percent of gaming sessions on Steam use a controller – three times the share recorded in 2018. More than half of these use Xbox controllers, a quarter use PlayStation pads, and around one-tenth use the Steam Deck.

Hori’s Steam controller will be available in four colors: black, white, green, and purple on October 31 for ¥7,980 (about $50). Hori’s Japanese site also revealed another set of PC controllers coming later this summer that support DirectInput and X-input, but not Steam-specific features. They include a traditional pad for 4,980 yen ($30), a six-button fighting game controller for 6,480 yen ($40), a mini fighting stick for 5,980 yen (about $37), and the new Real Arcade Pro Hayabusa fighting stick for 15,980 yen ( $100).

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