A gamer and electrical engineer has built their own Steam Deck-inspired controller, and the PC and modding community are certain Valve will hire the creator someday. The Steam Deck is a handheld gaming system designed with the purpose of running games on Valve’s leading PC platform, Steam. Launched in 2022, the handheld has since released OLED screen models, following in the footsteps of Nintendo’s Switch handhelds, and achieved commercial success after selling millions of units.

Valve’s latest SteamOS beta update thankfully fixed a frustrating Steam Deck OLED issue regarding Wi-Fi connection, in tandem with the arrival of new accessibility features. Boasting a more powerful system than the Switch, the Steam Deck is a wonderful tool for PC players to take their Steam games with them while on the move, but this gaming engineer got tired of waiting for Valve’s successor controller and built it on their own.

Steam Deck OLED Switch 2 Size Comparison

Steam Deck OLED Size Compared to Switch 2

A gamer who got to try out the Nintendo Switch 2 ahead of time compares the upcoming system's size to that of the Steam Deck's OLED model.

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By J Brodie Shirey

Posted on YouTube, TommyB delivered a 27-minute-long video explaining how their “Steam Controller 2” was built, similar to another gamer who built a custom FPS controller. The creator noted that Valve took too long to deliver the controller, and highlighted that their DIY build was fully wireless with custom-built trackpads, and delivers “what Valve never followed through on.” The custom controller also operates as a mouse, keyboard, and gamepad at the same time, and it’s designed to match the Steam Deck layout, making this the perfect accessory for PC enthusiasts. Additionally, the YouTuber listed all the parts and firmware used, so keen engineers can perhaps try to build their own.

Engineer Builds Steam Controller Inspired by Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons

The designer’s build is a rather elaborate project for amateur DIY enthusiasts to tackle, but that hasn’t stopped community members from customizing their consoles in the past, like one gamer who made custom glowing Steam Deck buttons. Fellow YouTube users were quick to point out the engineer’s amazing work, and recommended giving the controller attachment points to make the “ultimate Valve Switch.” Additionally, others stated that they are waiting for the day when the engineer gets hired by Valve, and gamers believe more controllers should split like Joy-Cons.

Taking inspiration from Nintendo’s Switch design, the custom controller splits into two sections, just like the Japanese publisher’s Joy-Con controllers for the Switch and Switch 2 models. Since Switch users have already reported the return of Joy-Con drift in the Switch 2 model, here’s hoping this issue will not be a part of the designer’s custom PC controller.

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