Valve has shared new details about the development of its Steam Controller. The project began with a small team of just four employees. According to Valve product designers Lawrence Yang and Steve Cardinali, the early stages involved "easily hundreds" of initial prototypes.
The design process was extremely fast-paced. The team worked on designs "multiple times a day" and considered "easily hundreds of different layouts." They also tested over 20 different orientations for the controller's trackpads. After the initial concept phase, the team built 20-30 functional prototypes.
The final design incorporated several improvements. These included larger face buttons and trackpads, better thumbstick grip, and enhanced D-pad responsiveness. The finished Steam Controller sold out within minutes of its release, according to a narrative description.
The information comes from an interview with Yang and Cardinali published by PCGamesN. Valve has not commented on any future plans for the controller.
