I hate console controllers, with few exceptions. The few I've liked were usually extremely simple, like the original NES controller, which is great for simple games like 2D platformers. For complex games, like Civilization or Tribes: Ascend, I've always preferred keyboard and mouse. I STILL prefer keyboard and mouse when sitting at my computer.

But now, when I'm sitting in front of my TV and I want to play some of the more party, casual-oriented games I have on my HTPC, nothing really beats the Steam Controller for ease of use and adaptability. I also have an Xbox 360 controller, a PS3 controller, and some older gamepads - none of them allow me to use the mouse in any serious way, and none of them have button design that doesn't lead to muscle strain for me over time. The steam controller effortlessly switches me between controlling the game, controlling the steam interface, and controlling the windows or linux desktop environment with equal ease - all while keeping my fingers and especially thumbs from wearing out or feeling like they're fighting the controller to get the degree of control I want. Moreover, while I'm usually a wired-control kind of guy, the steam controller's wireless connection converted me - it's effortless and introduces absolutely no wonkiness to the controls. Beautiful to experience in action.

This is the controller that made living room gaming possible for me. It's true that it doesn't really make it possible to enjoy a serious FPS (though I get by in FPS-oriented games like Sir, You Are Being Hunted just fine), and it's also true that you won't really be able to type to friends in more than five word sentences without getting annoyed (I just keep a small wireless keyboard nearby for that), but strategy games, artillery games (worms), platformers, isometric twin-stick shooters, some roguelikes, 3rd-person games (Tomb Raider et al), and probably some other genres I'm not thinking of right now have all worked beautifully for me with this controller. I'm currently working out a way to make it usable for simulator games like War Thunder - I think I've hit on the genius of making the underside paddles forward and backward throttle, which frees up everything above for the maneuvering and targeting even while moving.

Here's the thing that most people who want a controller do not get or enjoy about this controller - it's insanely customizable. It is the embodiment of PC gaming in a controller's body. Every single control surface on it is tweakable and assignable - almost every single game I've played with it that seemed clunky at first was fixable by searching for premade button assignments that people have made (when you save your button config it's visible to everyone else, who can also try it out), or else muddling through the process of making my own, which is a whole other learning experience. Just last week I found out it has a gyroscope I can assign to move my characters in broad strokes, then have aim control switch to the "mousepad" for fine movement just by touching it. Super useful!

This controller is exactly what the Steam Machine concept is - a mostly misunderstood tool that fits right between PC gaming and console gaming, filling in that gap to bring us all closer together. Yeah, I drank the koolaid. It was delicious.

I hate console controllers, with few exceptions. The few I've liked were usually extremely simple, like the original NES controller, which is great for simple games like 2D platformers. For complex games, like Civilization or Tribes: Ascend, I've always preferred keyboard and mouse. I STILL prefer keyboard and mouse when sitting at my computer. But now, when I'm sitting in front of my TV and I want to play some of the more party, casual-oriented games I have on my HTPC, nothing really beats the Steam Controller for ease of use and adaptability. I also have an Xbox 360 controller, a PS3 controller, and some older gamepads - none of them allow me to use the mouse in any serious way, and none of them have button design that doesn't lead to muscle strain for me over time. The steam controller effortlessly switches me between controlling the game, controlling the steam interface, and controlling the windows or linux desktop environment with equal ease - all while keeping my fingers and especially thumbs from wearing out or feeling like they're fighting the controller to get the degree of control I want. Moreover, while I'm usually a wired-control kind of guy, the steam controller's wireless connection converted me - it's effortless and introduces absolutely no wonkiness to the controls. Beautiful to experience in action. This is the controller that made living room gaming possible for me. It's true that it doesn't really make it possible to enjoy a serious FPS (though I get by in FPS-oriented games like Sir, You Are Being Hunted just fine), and it's also true that you won't really be able to type to friends in more than five word sentences without getting annoyed (I just keep a small wireless keyboard nearby for that), but strategy games, artillery games (worms), platformers, isometric twin-stick shooters, some roguelikes, 3rd-person games (Tomb Raider et al), and probably some other genres I'm not thinking of right now have all worked beautifully for me with this controller. I'm currently working out a way to make it usable for simulator games like War Thunder - I think I've hit on the genius of making the underside paddles forward and backward throttle, which frees up everything above for the maneuvering and targeting even while moving. Here's the thing that most people who want a controller do not get or enjoy about this controller - it's insanely customizable. It is the embodiment of PC gaming in a controller's body. Every single control surface on it is tweakable and assignable - almost every single game I've played with it that seemed clunky at first was fixable by searching for premade button assignments that people have made (when you save your button config it's visible to everyone else, who can also try it out), or else muddling through the process of making my own, which is a whole other learning experience. Just last week I found out it has a gyroscope I can assign to move my characters in broad strokes, then have aim control switch to the "mousepad" for fine movement just by touching it. Super useful! This controller is exactly what the Steam Machine concept is - a mostly misunderstood tool that fits right between PC gaming and console gaming, filling in that gap to bring us all closer together. Yeah, I drank the koolaid. It was delicious.