The Steam controller has been available for almost a month, and many gamers already have it in their hands. Now, a user warns the community of a fire hazard coming from the controller’s accessories.
What accessory is involved? Reddit user Toikka posted a post in the Steam Controller subreddit. There, he showed the puck (left in the title image) from his device, which has a slightly melted spot of plastic visible. Next to it lies the strap of a smartwatch – the Pixel Watch 3, to be precise.
The puck is an accessory that can be connected via USB-C. Subsequently, the connection to the controller can be established through the puck, or it can be charged by placing it on the accessory. The controller is supposed to hold via a magnet.
While the Reddit user’s watch was charged at a standalone charging station, the band with the metallic buckle came into contact with the pins of the puck. As a result, there was a short circuit, and the puck made crackling noises.
The accessory still works, and there is only an optical damage, according to the user.
Valve is in contact with the user
How is Valve in contact with the user? Toikka gave a small update in his post and wrote that Valve, that is, the Steam hardware team, has contacted him and is already working on the case.
They want to reproduce the case and will receive from the user the items that nearly caused a fire.
What do other parts of the community say? The top comment with over 600 upvotes (as of May 24, at 9:18 AM) calls it important information, as the user has the same watch band.
Other comments also thank Toikka for the warning. Furthermore, the community writes that the manual does contain a warning about the puck, magnetization, and potentially occurring sparks, however, a similar incident could happen if a metal band is worn near the accessory.
The comments also highlight the fact that friends or family could be using the controller and puck, and may not have read the warnings in the manual.
MeinMMO tech author Jan Hartmeyer has already bought 4 controllers – of course for personal use with friends and family – and is convinced of the new Steam hardware. He would even buy another 4 if he needed them: I spent 400 euros on the new Steam controller from Valve and do not regret a cent
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