This DIY Steam Deck controller splits in two, inspired by the Nintendo Switch

I’m a sucker for a DIY project, so this homemade Steam Deck controller is right up my alley. Using some spare parts, a 3D printer, and plenty of patient trial and error, a hardware modder has put together his own take on a Steam Controller 2, complete with trackpads and a chassis that splits into two parts, taking inspiration directly from Nintendo in the process.

It’s been a while since fresh Steam Controller 2 rumors gave any hint of an official new game controller from Valve, leaving modders like this one to take matters into their own hands. This controller shares a number of features you’d see in the Steam Deck, with the joysticks, d-pads, and trackpads all placed in a very similar layout to what you’d find in the best handheld out there right now.

According to designer TommyB in his build video, the inspiration for the DIY Steam Controller 2 came from a lack of similar controllers for PC gamers for those who don’t own a Deck themselves. However, this is clearly a labor of love, because despite the use of “off the shelf parts,” this is a project that a casual builder might struggle to put together themselves.

The build process began with the trackpads, using a specialist capacitive touch controller to help emulate the trackpads found on the Steam Deck. However, a custom PCB was needed to get it to work as intended, along with firmware to get the job done, all of which TommyB has thankfully shared in his project’s GitHub repository for others to try out themselves.

The rest of the parts are more straightforward to put together, cutting down a third-party Steam Deck shell (with some help from Valve’s own 3D model as a guide) to create the left and right sides. The two sections are brought together using a 3D printed middle section, although both sides can be separated, acting a lot like Joycons on a Nintendo Switch.

Other components, like the joysticks and d-pads, are more easily fitted together, with TommyB using iFixIt teardown videos for the Steam Deck in reverse to help as a guide, with some minor modifications to fit the custom case sections together.

The end result is a usable game controller that looks a lot like a mini Steam Deck controller, thanks to sharing many of its core components. While TommyB still has some enhancements he’d like to implement, including haptic controls, this is already a very cool project for a very dedicated PC gamer to try out.

If you’re adept with a soldering iron and fancy throwing together your DIY Steam controller while you wait for Valve to release its own, this could be a project to replicate. Most gamers, however, are probably going to want to hold out for the real deal – if Valve ever announces it, that is.

All is quiet on that front for now, but in the meantime, you can always check out our best PC controller guide if you’re looking to ditch the keyboard and mouse during your gameplay sessions. You can also check out our Steam Deck OLED review to see why so many gamers have opted for handheld gaming in recent years, using a built-in controller setup that is very similar to TommyB’s efforts here.

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