Building the Steam Controller

Valve
5 HN recommenders · recommended in 2 months, 2015–2026
YouTube
2.3M views · 10 years ago · other · dated

A Valve video showing how the Steam Controller was assembled in the US, from the injection-molded parts to the finished device. It follows the manufacturing line and the machines and people on it.

HN shares it to show the scale of a highly automated assembly line and as evidence that Valve built its controller largely in-house.

“It’s worth watching the Valve Steam Controller Factory video to appreciate the scale of these lights off factories”
Industrial designInput devices & novel interfaces
#steamcontroller#valve#manufacturing#assemblyline#hardware

8 comments from Hacker News

p
@pmg2025 · in “Paper Folding Assembly Line [video]”
Given they’re near Hangzhou they can source a lot of stock for 1/4-1/40th the price as the US. I would guess $1.5k-$2k for the hot mess they show at 6:06 and $8k for the polished setup plus $0-$850,000 in billable hours to some PLC engineers. The old school way to learn this field is an Allen Bradley or Siemens certification[1] but it’s pretty dry and tedious [2] with good money [3] because once you have a network you can show up at any factory or bottling line as they all use Siemens or Allen Bradley and they’re always breaking down. The new school way is AI, raspberry pi’s, and 3D printer tool chains. It’s worth watching the Valve Steam Controller Factory video to appreciate the scale of these lights off factories: ▶ this video [1] link [2] link [3] link
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D
@DichromaticAnt2015 · in “Valve is bonkers”
Submitted the video to Hacker News.
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g
@gokhan2015 · in “Valve's Steam Controller Assembly Line [video]”
Submitted the video to Hacker News.
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e
@ekianjo2015 · in “Valve's Manufacturing Process to Make the Steam Controller”
Submitted the video to Hacker News.
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d
@devbug2015 · in “How Vavle Is Building the Steam Controller”
Submitted the video to Hacker News.
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s
@somat2026 · in “Unseen Footage of Atari Battlezone Arcade Cabinet Production”
Valve did final assembly for the steam controllers in the US. Not sure if that counts or not. It was shortly after the portal 2 launch and they did a slick video of the process with portal music. ▶ this video
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o
@ortusdux2021 · in “Valve Steam Deck”
I always felt their controller was a bit of a weird product. Turns out they were just dipping their toes in the water. I wonder if they are going to produce this fully in house like the controller. ▶ this video
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r
@radiorental2016 · in “Valve releases Steam Controller CAD geometry so you can mod it”
Not that it's much of hinderance these days but it will make the knock-offs easier and quicker to produce, and of a higher quality. I know the controllers are assembled in the US[1], don't know if the injection molding is too. [1] ▶ this video
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