Suffice it to say, console gaming would get nowhere without the implementation of a good, and above all intuitive, controller.Nintendo’s control pads have evolved significantly over the years, going from the angular two-button NES pad, to the weird three-pronged monstrosity that came with the N64, right through to the modern era with the Switch’s Joy-Cons. The latter have shown how far the technology has advanced over several decades, and it’s recently come to light that Valve’sSteamplatform will now support these colorful sticks.
According to the latest client beta update, which rolled out a couple of days ago,Steamnow offers support for the Joy-Con controllers, adding that they can either be used separately as a “mini-gamepad” or combined as one. This is bound to be good news for those who play PC games but want the option of using a different controller, and have a Nintendo Switch at their disposal. It’s also interesting that this development has occurred just a couple of months after Apple made the Joy-Cons compatible with iOS 16.
RELATED:Apple iOS 16 Supports Switch Joy-Cons
This update comes not long afterSteam Deck added compatibility for classic Nintendo Online controllers. This means that anyone who owns one of Valve’s mobile devices can now connect up their NES, SNES or N64 pads. It should be made clear that this support is for the modern iterations of these iconic controllers, as they have USB connectivity, but it does at least show that Valve is prepared to open the doors for other peripherals for anyone who wants to use them either through Steam in general, or on the Deck. Whether there will be more controllers added to the roster, such as the Sega Genesis gamepad, cannot be said at this stage.
On top of all this,Valve has just patented a new feature for Steam, which could make game recommendations better. It seems as though this patent is based on an existing quality-of-life policy. The end-goal, allegedly, is that it will be able to generate customized compilation videos related to games it thinks a user may enjoy based on their history.
Valve is one of the most successful game companies in the world, withSteambeing its most lucrative asset. Known in the early days for the creation ofHalf-Life, which has gone on to become one of the most beloved FPS games ever, the developer is more focused on its PC storefront these days, with the aforementioned Steam Deck representing a successful leap into the hardware market, after years of unsuccessful attempts.
