Overview
- An enthusiast known as safijari published OpenPuck on GitHub as an open-source reimplementation of Valve’s Steam Controller puck allowing the controller to pair and operate without Steam Input.
- The project runs on a low-cost nRF52840 Pro Micro board that users flash by putting the board into DFU mode and copying the provided sketch, after which a browser-based WebUSB configurator manages modes and settings.
- OpenPuck can present the Steam Controller as Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or PlayStation controllers so consoles see it as an official wired device, with on-device translation of raw inputs rather than relying on Steam on the host PC.
- Early community testing and author notes verify Switch and PS3 modes work on real consoles while DualSense and other PlayStation modes are currently PC-only or have caveats, and the 1 ms latency claim remains unverified.
- The DIY puck lacks the factory receiver’s charging pins and includes experimental extensions such as ReversePuck for streaming Steam Deck inputs, making it a maker-focused tool that could broaden controller use but still needs wider testing.