14 DAY TRIAL // Valve has just shown off a new version of its prototype Steam controller, sporting an analog thumbstick for the first time since inception.
The new pad design is the third major iteration shown to the public so far, and it comes courtesy of SteamDB.
The first prototype was presented during Valve's reveal, featuring few buttons and looking somewhat like an over-caffeinated owl, being dominated by two large trackpads and a touchscreen.
The second iteration was shown back in January, missing the touchscreen and having two new symmetrical sets of ABXY buttons on its front.
Valve wanted to replicate the analog stick experience using trackpads, which are infused with haptic feedback in the form of weighted electro-magnets to provide some sort of feeling of interaction, and thus deliberately refrained from having anything poking out of the controller so far.
For the time being, it's unclear whether the latest discovery is the controller's final design or whether the company is gauging the gaming community's response to the addition of thumbsticks.
The company's Gamescom description mentioned that video game controllers would be present on site, which could mean that Valve may be planning to showcase the possible design at the event in Germany, in August.
In any case, the latest revision throws any left-handed equality the controller might have had out the window, and we're still curious how well you'll be able to play DOTA 2 with it.