Will the Steam Controller Replace Your Keyboard and Mouse?

We spent some time with the final version of the Steam Controller, and tests whether you'll be able to ditch your keyboard/mouse and traditional gamepad.

Some highlights include:

• Buttons and paddles are totally mappable
• Runs on 2AA batteries
• You connect to the PC via USB
• No headset jack
• Controller is slightly awkward and requires more thumb dexterity than you may be used to.
• Can act as a mouse, sort of
• Thumb-stick emulation isn't great
• Lining up head-shots is awkward and can be more frustrating than fun.

Do you think you'll be swapping out your keyboard and mouse for this bad boy?

Of course not, who in their right mind would think this?

Hahaha are you goddamn joking? If I wanted to use a controller I'd go play on a console. I play PC for a reason. I'm not going to fire up Hearts of Iron or Empire: Total War with my Steam controller. Are you nuts?

Made for casuals.

No chance in hell.

No.

For controller games, i'll stick with X360 controller for now (the X1 wireless requires Win10... **** you too, MS). I like analog sticks more, and those touchpads can't replace mouse either, so i really don't see the point in this.

But like someone at Valve said (i think it was Gabe himself), they can afford throwing ideas around, even if they wouldn't work.

No. I feel more comfortable when using Mouse and Keyboard instead of controllers.

no one. But for couch gaming its pretty damn nice

Only in games where I prefer a controller because its awkward otherwise, like the Batman Arkham series.

Games that I play with a keyboard and mouse already I will still play with them as it is more responsive and I prefer it.

too soon to tell, they need to fix the disadvantages listed, its a great idea but they wont even replace regular controllers if they dont improve the tech.

probs not, I have already figured out how to use console controllers on pc if I really need it. Most games I use keyboard and mouse anyways

for poops and giggles im going to give it a proper try. not at a competitive level mind since i dont play games online or anything. but everything is on the table. cave story, total war, homeworld, unreal tournament, everything is on the table. as a gamer i like to give new controls options a shot.

i remember playing okami on the wii and initally thinking "oh dear....the wiimote is not good for this game at all". i nearly got killed in okami. its hard to die in that game :P (great game though). 2 hours later: drawing god.

i dont think its going to beat the KB+M (i have an MX-518....its hardly fair :P) but i'm open to a surprise. how will it fare against it or the traditional controller?

Haha, that's a good one

I'm not even sure it will replace my current gamepad.

Mine arrived today. Feels really good in the hands. Tried it real quick in a point and click game and worked really well. Obviously this is something that will take many of us a while to get used to and good at. I'll try it in GTA 5 or something and let everyone know my thoughts.

Nope, this will not replace the PS4 controller that I use for my PC. (Not a PS4 owner)

Honestly I have to question how this made it to production because its terrible for certain types of games ..at least in my opinion. I giant flat dpad just makes no sense whatsoever to me. I found it very unwieldy and just unpleasant to use vs the PS4 controller.

I didn't even realize that Valve has given me the complete Valve pack in appreciation for pre-ordering. I got to looking and saw DOA 2 and all these valve games on my account and was like wtf? Then I read the email....Valve, you guys are the best. Now give us a proper D-pad on the controller please.

Nope, have Xbox controller as well which is natively supported by most games preferable to a control pad.

I really don't do much in the way of keyboard and mouse games as it is, and for those games I do play (Such as Endless Legend, or Mount and Blade) I think this would actually be great. It may not be perfect for a game of Counter Strike, but it suits my needs.

It will.. Watch some of the YouTube videos people have posted with tinkering around with it over a extended period of time.. Thanks to functions like the built in gryo's, your seeing some people with crazy good accuracy in games like fps's with the gamepad.

Hell no. Keyboard and mouse it's just so great for FPS.

Yes, games are so much more enjoyable with a controller. Especially when you get a controller designed with your game in mind. Think steering wheel with shifter and gas pedal controls. A flight stick for playing a flight sim, and so on.

Keyboards are for typing MS Word documents, not conquering the universe.

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