Overview
- Multiple gaming outlets on Wednesday tested the new $99 controller and verified that it sometimes emits the classic Wilhelm Scream when dropped.
- Reporters found the effect most reliably triggers while Steam is in Big Picture mode on the main menu, and it has a cooldown of about a minute between screams.
- The device lacks an obvious speaker, and coverage concludes the sound is reconstructed by the controller’s haptic motors, as Valve has not detailed the implementation.
- Outlets advise dropping only onto soft surfaces to avoid damage, and some testers say enabling gyro behavior in Steam’s controller settings helped reproduce the effect.
- After the May 4 launch sold out quickly and drove reseller listings, Valve set up a reservation queue on May 8 with one unit per user and a 72-hour purchase window for order emails.