Black Friday deal from Valve sees Stream Controller sell for only $5

With only a few days before Black Friday, most consumers are already in the market for early deals. Most retailers and brands normally advertise their respective deals a week before the biggest shopping event. PC gamers who are in the market for a new controller are in for a big surprise as Valve is dropping the price on the Steam Controller. Buyers can buy it right now for only $5, which is reportedly a 90 per cent discount. It seems that the manufacturer might be trying to clear its remaining inventory.

According to The Verge, gamers are expected to take advantage of the Black Friday deal for several reasons. The first is evidently the price, which, at $5, sounds unbelievable for a premium controller. The second reason is it is the last batch that will ever be sold. As indicated by sources, Valve no longer has plans to manufacture more Steam Controllers. Analysts believe that the gamepad's odd configuration is to blame for its poor sales.

Reports claim it is Valve's fault in the first place. When it first came out, the Steam Controller boasted the ability to remap any of the buttons according to the user's preference. However, the company eventually enabled the feature for other supported controllers from Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, and most third-party brands as well.

Meanwhile, there those who are speculating that a new controller might be unveiled soon. A patent application from Valve in 2018 apparently shows a similar gamepad design as the original but is packed with new functionalities. One of those noted by the documents is a force-sensing resistor (FSR), which in theory should offer a new interactive experience for players. This should be taken with a pinch of salt until an official announcement confirms its existence.

With the recent reveal of "Half-Life: Alyx" for VR headsets, gamers are wondering If Valve is planning to work on more virtual reality titles. Those who already own the brand's Index VR headset will get the game for free. Perhaps the company's next controller will be compatible with both VR and regular games. Black Friday deals such as the one from Valve are quite rare, hence fans and collectors should grab the Steam Controller while there is still adequate supply left.