So with all things that go into beta and are subject to change, Valve’s idea about a controller is not the exception. According to Engadget, the Steam controller will be losing its touch screen in favor of physical buttons. Nothing is set in stone about what the buttons will be on the controller before it is for sale to the public later this year but a mock up of the new layout is circulating around the web which you can see below.
Apparently according to people in attendance of Valve’s Steam dev days conference a “ghosting” mode will be put in place of the touchscreen on the Steam controller. The ghosting mode could be a visualization of the mapping of the buttons but is unconfirmed. Valve also have release an API for devs to use for integration of the Steam Controller in current and future games which interestingly can support up to 16 controllers at once.
I personally would rather have the eight buttons that are being shown on the mock up. Touchscreen to me means I need to look down and see what I am doing rather than looking to the screen and instinctively knows what I am pressing.
Steam Controller Mockup
Steam Controller Mockup
Vs.
Beta Steam Controller
Beta Steam Controller