Valve has been extremely busy this week, revealing a fully fledged operating system last Monday and a pilot hardware program titled the Steam Machine on Wednesday. The company has come out with yet another hardware product today, launching a Steam Controller at an event this afternoon.
Valve has used this week to make leaps and bound in the gaming market.The company has captured the attention of gamers as it appears to be offering a total alternative to the duopoly of the console market with its new offerings. There is no telling when the company will actually be able to release these products, but they are certain to make a splash when they appear on the market.
Valve controller
The controller from Valve features a design similar to those from other games companies while at the same time incorporating a series of innovations. The company says that the controller will work with any game on steam including older games that have no support for controllers. The device also has support for developers and the API will be released on the same day the beta units begin shipping.
Valve says that vibration and haptic feedback will allow users to be incredibly precise with this controller. “These small, strong, weighted electro-magnets are attached to each of the dual trackpads. They are capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing precise control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement.”
Other innovations in the controller include a touch screen in the middle of the device that users will be able to manipulate to select functions in game. If the screen is pushed down the information and menus on it will be overlayed on the main screen so that users do not have to look down.
Valve hardware design
The controller announcement is the third and final in a week that saw Valve attempt to change the face of gaming. The company is the most important in the world of PC gaming, and its latest innovations will probably be highly anticipated until release. There is no information yet as to when the company will seek to release its hardware to the public.
Both the valve computer and controller will be part of a closed beta that will see selected developers and users get access to the devices. SteamOS will be released for free to the public, but it appears users will have to wait until 2014 to get their hands on the new offerings from Valve.
