Librarian Andrew Borman published a video today showcasing how the "Chell" prototype Steam Controller works, how it differs from the final version, and how it's lost support in the last 2 years.
Librarian and video game history buff Andrew Borman published a neat video to his YouTube channel today that showcases in some detail how the "Chell" prototype Steam Controller works, how it differs from the final shipped version, and how it's lost support in the last two years.
It's funny; four years ago we were highlighting videos and personal accounts of game devs experimenting with these prototype Steam controllers for the first time. Now, we're highlighting a video that breaks down its history, its place in the development cycle of Valve's controllers, and its gradual fade into obscurity.
As Borman notes, a limited number of these prototypes were sent out to beta testers in late 2013. Valve incorporated feedback from that process into its iteration process, eventually debuting the final Steam Controller in late 2015.
As of last October, Valve had sold nearly 1 million Steam Controllers. The company has since worked with devs (including Defender's Quest dev and occasional Gamasutra blogger Lars Doucet) to expand Steam's official controller support to encompass most widely-used gamepads, including the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One controllers.
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