Mechanism, the company behind a “gaming pillow” for the Steam Deck and a growing list of grips for handheld consoles and PCs, already has its first Steam Controller accessory ready. Valve’s new controller will be available for purchase on May 4 and on the same day Mechanism will begin selling the Basegrip for Steam Controller, an accessory that will allow you to attach the controller to a smartphone and many other mounts that the company already sells.
The Steam Controller Basegrip is contoured to fit snugly on the back of the controller while leaving room for its magnetic charging puck to still attach. And since most of Mechanism’s accessories are designed to work together, with the Basegrip attached you can connect the Steam Controller to a lot of the company’s existing mounts, including a phone mount that lets you magnetically attach a smartphone to the top of the controller. With a phone and a controller together, you theoretically have a small portable console for playing games.
Or, you might, someday. Valve has been pretty clear that the Steam Controller is only designed to work with Steam and the Steam Link app, which is why Mechanism notes that “the controller does not yet work on all iOS or Android.” You can use your smartphone, Steam controller, and the Steam Link app to stream your PC games, but you might have trouble playing more than that. Future software updates may improve support, but this currently makes using the Steam Controller with a smartphone a little less useful. This shouldn’t detract from the other accessories offered by Mechanism, however, particularly its planned Steam Controller Dock, which proudly displays the controller when you’re not using it and also incorporates its charging puck to keep it powered.
Mechanism says the Basegrip for Steam Controller will be available on May 4 for $9 or at a discounted price when bundled with other accessories. The Steam Controller Dock doesn’t have a final price yet, but Mechanism says it will ship in June and you can join a waitlist to buy it now.
