Nvidia GeForce Now Adds Steam Controller Support

Nvidia's GeForce Now cloud gaming service is set to officially integrate support for Valve's Steam Controller and Steam Machine later this year. This enhancement will allow users to seamlessly utilize Valve's gamepad when accessing GeForce Now through the application on their Steam Deck or Steam Machine devices. The integration aims to provide a more unified and convenient gaming experience for users who prefer the Steam Controller for their cloud-streamed games.

GeForce Now, operated by Nvidia, is a service that allows users to stream PC games from their digital libraries to various devices, including lower-powered laptops, smartphones, and tablets. By offloading the processing to Nvidia's powerful servers, users can play demanding titles without needing high-end hardware. The addition of Steam Controller support is a significant step towards bridging the gap between local PC gaming and cloud gaming, particularly for users invested in Valve's ecosystem.

The Steam Controller, released by Valve in 2015, was designed with a unique dual trackpad layout and customizable inputs, aiming to provide a PC-like input experience for games on a television. While its production ceased in 2019, it has maintained a dedicated user base. Support for this controller within GeForce Now means that these users can continue to leverage their preferred input device for a wider range of games streamed via the cloud.

This move by Nvidia is likely to be welcomed by the community of Steam Deck owners, many of whom also own or are familiar with the Steam Controller. The Steam Deck itself is a handheld gaming PC that runs on Valve's SteamOS, and its integration with GeForce Now already offers a robust cloud gaming solution. Adding native controller support further refines this experience, potentially making GeForce Now a more attractive option for Steam Deck users looking to access games not natively available on the device or to play titles that benefit from a controller input.

The timeline for this feature rollout has been indicated as "later this year," suggesting that Nvidia and Valve are working collaboratively to ensure a smooth implementation. While the initial announcement specifies support for Steam Deck and Steam Machine, it is plausible that this integration could extend to GeForce Now on other platforms, such as Windows, in the future, though this has not been explicitly confirmed. The focus for now remains on enhancing the experience for users within the Valve hardware ecosystem.