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PC gamers who prefer gamepads to console-and-mouse have a number of peripherals supported within Steam, from PlayStation 4 to Xbox Series X. The officially official Wireless Horipad for Steam, however, uses twin analog sticks instead of the unusual touch pads that the original Steam Controller employed.
The original Steam Controller, bundled with the long lost Steam Machine and Steam Link streaming hardware, was discontinued in 2019. It was noted for having two trackpads instead of twin analog joysticks. Some found this arrangement more fluid and intuitive, others were put off by having to learn what was basically a new control layout.
Hori’s official Steam controller comes in a more traditional layout, with ergonomically offset thumbsticks, a four-way directionl pad to the lower right of the left thumb, and a traditional X-Y-A-B face button mapping, plus shoulder buttons and analog triggers.
All of this is remapabble, of course, but for console video games that also launch on Steam, Hori is offering an out-of the box solution that plays like a PlayStation or Xbox with no fuss.
There are another four custom buttons that can be assigned multiple functions, whether that’s capturing a screenshot or gameplay, or something else. The “Steam button” in the middle, resembling the Xbox and PlayStation buttons at the center of those consoles’ dedicated controller, will bring up Steam’s Big Picture Mode.
When does the new Steam controller come out?
From there, players are able to customize and remap the controller to their preferences, as any PC gamer would expect. To be clear, Hori’s Wireless Horipad for Steam does not have any trackpads — nor does it have any vibration/rumble capability, or a headphone jack.
The Wireless Horipad will launch by the end of the October, and cost about $50 when it does go live. It’l come in four colors: white, black, blue, and yellow.
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A new collaboration between Xbox and Amazon is bringing major titles to Fire TV, meaning you can play Xbox games console-free.
In July, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can play hundreds of cloud-enabled games through the Xbox app on select Fire TV devices, allowing access without a console. That includes a wide library, featuring games ranging from RPGs like RPGs like Starfield and Fallout 4 to racing games like Forza Horizon 5. The Amazon Fire TV stick also has the ability to run graphically intense Xbox games, such as Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.
How to play Xbox Games on Amazon Fire TV
You’ll need either a Fire TV Stick 4K Max or a Fire TV Stick 4K, which start from $49.99, and the free Xbox app downloaded onto your Fire TV device via the Amazon Appstore. You’ll also need a Microsoft account, meaning if you’re already an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member, you’ll have instant access to stream and play hundreds of cloud-enabled titles in the Game Pass Ultimate library. If not, then you’ll need to sign up for the Ultimate membership.
From there, the entire library should be available to play, with support for the Xbox Wireless Controller, Xbox Adaptive Controller, DualSense or DualShock 4 controllers. No console is required, offering access to selected Xbox games to some for the first time, without the high upfront cost of a console. By comparison, even the cheapest of Xbox consoles start from $299, as opposed to Fire TV’s $49.99 upfront cost.
Even if you already own a console, it’s also a convenient way to play in a different room from where you keep your console, or take your gaming on the go. Because you sign in with your Microsoft account, it will keep your progress within games synced no matter where you go, so long as you stay signed into the cloud.
Featured image: Amazon
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