The new 2026 Steam Controller costs €99 on its own on Steam (euro price including VAT, as of 12 November 2026). Bought in a bundle with Steam Machine, it adds €69 to the price. It has magnetic TMR sticks, two trackpads, gyro, more than 35 hours of battery life and the Puck for wireless play and charging. Because demand is high, it sells through reservations, and you only see the estimated date once you sign in to Steam.
Price and where to buy (alone or in a Steam Machine bundle)
Valve sells the Steam Controller through its Steam store page. Euro prices on Steam as of 12 November 2026 (checked in the Czech store; Steam Machine prices are the same in Germany):
| Option | EUR | GBP | USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Controller on its own | €99 | – | – |
| Steam Machine 512GB | €1,039 | £879 | $1,049 |
| Steam Machine 512GB + Steam Controller | €1,108 | £938 | $1,128 |
GBP and USD prices are the ones Valve announced on 22 June 2026 for the Steam Machine models. If you are buying a Steam Machine anyway, the bundle makes the controller €69 cheaper than buying it separately (€1,108 − €1,039). In the UK that difference is £59, in the US $79. All four Steam Machine options are listed in our Steam Machine price guide.
Features: TMR sticks, trackpads, gyro, Grip Sense
- Magnetic TMR sticks with capacitive touch, so the controller knows when your thumb is resting on a stick.
- Two trackpads that stand in for a mouse in games and on the desktop.
- Gyro for motion aiming.
- Grip Sense and grip buttons for extra inputs without taking your thumbs off the sticks.
- Four haptic motors.
All of these inputs are configured through Steam Input.
Battery and the Puck
The battery is 8.39Wh, and Valve rates it at more than 35 hours of play. The controller comes with the Puck, a small device that provides a low-latency wireless connection and doubles as a magnetic charger. A USB cable is included in the box.
You don’t need the Puck with Steam Machine. The Machine has a Steam Controller adapter built in, alongside Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The Puck is mainly for devices without that kind of adapter.
Reservations and when you get it
Sales started on 4 May 2026. Because of demand, Valve switched to reservations from 8 May 2026, with these rules:
- one controller per account,
- your account needs a Steam purchase made before 27 April 2026,
- once it is your turn, you have 72 hours to buy.
Since 18 June 2026, Valve shows an estimate on each reservation: by September 2026, by December 2026, or in 2027. New reservations at that time were showing 2027. You can read Valve’s announcement on Steam. As of 12 November 2026 the store page shows “Login for reservations”, so you’ll only see the current estimate for your account after signing in. Valve gives no other date than the one Steam shows you.
Waiting for a Steam Machine is a separate queue. How the Machine reservation queue and waitlist work is explained in how to buy Steam Machine.
With Steam Machine, Steam Deck and PC
The controller works with a PC, a laptop, Steam Deck, Steam Machine and Steam Frame. Outside Steam, it works in games that support the Steam Overlay. On Steam Machine it plays a special role: Steam Machine Verified requires, among other things, that a game is fully playable with a Steam Controller without any changes.
Pairing with Steam Machine
- Before you boot the Machine for the first time, plug the Steam Controller into one of the front USB ports with the included cable.
- Run through the first-boot wizard. The controller pairs with the built-in wireless adapter along the way.
- Once setup is done, check for controller, Puck and adapter updates in
Steam Menu > Settings > Controller.
A paired Steam Controller can turn the Machine on and wake it from sleep. With HDMI CEC enabled, your TV comes on with it. The whole first-boot process is in our Steam Machine setup guide.
To see the controller shortcuts, long-press the Steam button and choose “Show Controller Shortcuts”. For an overview of the whole device, read our Steam Machine overview.
Join our Discord, where players share how long they waited for their controller. Find us on Discord GamersTogether.
FAQ
€99 including VAT on Steam as of 12 November 2026. In a Steam Machine bundle it adds €69 to the price of the Machine.
No. Steam Machine has a built-in Steam Controller adapter, and the controller pairs with it directly.
Steam shows an estimate on your reservation once you sign in. Since June 2026 Valve has used three windows: by September 2026, by December 2026, or in 2027.
Yes. It works with a PC, a laptop, Steam Deck, Steam Machine and Steam Frame, and outside Steam in games that support the Steam Overlay.
More than 35 hours of play, according to Valve. The battery is 8.39Wh and charges magnetically on the Puck.
Information verified on 12 November 2026. We keep prices and the waitlist status up to date. More guides are in the Steam Machine hub.