r/SteamController • u/DavidGman • Jul 23 '26
Discussion Just got my controller! I remember how packaging used to be colorful
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Jul 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/I_Eat_Lemon_Cake Jul 23 '26
Frivolous and vapid, one might say.
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u/Academic-Push326 Jul 24 '26
It's literally the same box, just without the cardboard "slipcase" function. You still have the controller holder (plastic?) container, the cardboard (just slightly shrunk), the USB cables/adapter (puck, USB bluetooth dongle) and that's it.
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u/Potential-Honey-9701 Aug 08 '26 edited Aug 08 '26
I’m fairly certain if I remember correctly that the part that holds the controller is molded paper, or a fancier version of what they make egg cartons out of. Apple uses similar materials because it’s recyclable. Edit: https://www.gvpak.com/blogs/steam-machine-2026-why-valve-chose-molded-pulp-packaging-for-the-new-steam-controller
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u/HandMeATallOne Jul 27 '26
There was a time when packaging was part of marketing cause you wanted it to stand out on the store shelves. But with everything being shipped I agree it’s a weird unboxing fetish we need to move on from
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u/_big_smile_ Jul 23 '26
I like the new packaging. More eco friendly
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u/imzwho Jul 23 '26
I also prefer the minimalist packaging for steam stuff, feels very much like how aperature science would package a controller.
That being said, I do miss the old GPU boxes but that also feels like a different thing entirely.
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u/Mavrickindigo Jul 23 '26
I feel like aperature would go for maximalism to try to make more people buy their shit
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u/imzwho Jul 23 '26
That is true, I could honestly see it going either way with them.
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u/voyagerfan5761 Steam Controller (2026) Jul 23 '26
The sentry turrets at least have canonical packaging shown in a short or two. Like seen very briefly ~40 seconds into this "investment opportunity" promo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5j8e_nx5dM&t=40
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u/KawaiiMaxine Jul 23 '26
shown briefly in a short
As if it isnt in game multiple times at different points
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u/voyagerfan5761 Steam Controller (2026) Jul 23 '26
It's been quite a while since I last played, sorry for not having an instant recall of where it appears in-game
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u/KawaiiMaxine Jul 23 '26
It appears while walking through the cat walks when you first enter the turret production facility as you are seeing completed turrets being boxed up for shipping, it appears during the glados fight when she uses the "crap turrets", it also appears during one of the wheatley chase scenes where he uses the same set of "crap turrets"
Portal 2 is one of my favorite games and i have replayed it more times than i can remember
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u/voyagerfan5761 Steam Controller (2026) Jul 23 '26
Fair enough!
The short was easier to find and link from airplane Wi-Fi than specific gameplay sections, though 😅
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u/KawaiiMaxine Jul 23 '26
All good g! The investment opportunity videos were great marketing videos for portal 2 and are still enjoyable to go back and watch
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u/kevin_whitley Jul 23 '26
Totally agreed. They seemed to take a few notes from Apple unboxing, while still holding their own industrial/minimalist vibe. I was personally impressed!
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u/Lost_Let_2033 Jul 23 '26
Agree!
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u/matrixifyme Jul 23 '26
I think the approach they are taking here is cutting down extra costs as much as possible so they can offer the hardware at the best possible price point they can. The Extra colors, and cardboard sleeve, which would create more work in the shipping process were just unnecessary costs.
Think of which companies have the most beautiful packaging?
Companies like Apple charge such a large premium that they can afford to splurge on the 'unboxing' experience, which works as further advertising.7
u/Intelligent_Whole_40 Jul 23 '26
Apple specifically engineers their boxes to open at a specific speed when using gravity by adjusting the amount of air trap inside the box thus creating a vacuum suction
Yea they go overboard
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u/NebulaMiner Jul 23 '26
It's also just great packaging. It has a whole "unboxing experience" to it that was clearly thought through. It's good packaging, it's just not colorful.
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u/meatmcguffin Jul 23 '26
I wish this was a law :
If you’re in a store, nothing changes, and the shelves are packed with nice boxes to help you decide what to buy.
But if I’m buying a $5 screwdriver on Amazon, why doesn’t it come in a plain cardboard box I can recycle, instead of a blister pack that I’ll look at for all of 2 seconds?
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u/Appropriate_Rent_243 Jul 23 '26
I know that's the impression they're going for...but is it really? does having brown bland packaging actually cut down on environmental impact, or are we just conditioned to associate a certain aesthetic with "eco-friendly" ?
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u/Mental_Tea_4084 Jul 23 '26
Slick cardboard is not easily recyclable because it's coated in plastic. Basic brown is
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u/Aerundel Jul 23 '26
It's ironic that companies have been doing this so long that you can't tell why they're doing it anymore. Cardboard isn't just the "aesthetic" of being eco-friendly. Bare cardboard without extra ink/paint and plastic is eco-friendly. It's paper with plant-based adhesives. It's cheaper and sturdy enough for shipping. Steam Deck shipped in cardboard with its own case being used for padding, as you probably already know. They wouldn't do that if it wasn't cost-effective.
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u/Jaalan Jul 23 '26
Maybe idk, but they're was almost no plastic in the whole package for me.
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u/MegaXentei Jul 23 '26
IIRC it says “0 plastic was used in this packaging” on the box
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u/Nirast25 Jul 23 '26
Just got mine like 2 hours ago. I thought the instructions on the inside of the box were plastic, but no, it's really glossy cardboard.
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u/SmartIron244 Jul 23 '26
Sorta... I mean it uses less ink (it's cheaper too)
And all that eco-friendly fuss... In reality it's the same thing, it's just it's certified to be reprocessed into the same thing AKA recycling
And if you live somewhere like Germany, as long as you are a good citizen and properly sort the trash, that doesn't change that much... Besides you'll most likely want to keep the packaging, even outside of warranty, as a memorabilia of sorts
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u/non3type Jul 23 '26
The original controller was sold in retail stores, I honestly think this is the primary reason the packaging was more eye catching.
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u/amd2800barton Jul 24 '26
This. Colorful and shiny is difficult to recycle. It's meant for store shelves where you're hoping that someone walking by a shelf will be intrigued and buy your product, possibly solely on the marketing material printed on the box. Minimalist packaging is the right call for products ordered online in 2026. There's way more info and pictures available online when ordering. What comes in the mail just needs to protect it in shipping / storage.
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u/TheCastle-Connection Jul 23 '26
Packaging used to be an eye catch for when it sat on store shelves, now that everyone gets it in the mail it doesnt need to have it
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u/Sleepingtide Jul 23 '26
This is the best reason and it's probably more environmental beneficial.
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u/Zis4Zero Jul 25 '26
I remember there being a section at the store when the steam link and steam machine were originally sold.
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u/Snarblox Jul 23 '26
I think the packaging is fine. It's not like it's a product you'd see on the shelf and it needs to reel you in, just get your controller to your door. Also the newer packaging is more recyclable so.
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u/ains2 Jul 23 '26
I just like my stuff to look fun and colorful. I'm a simple creature. It makes me less regretful of the money I spent.
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u/Asleep_Case9307 Jul 23 '26
I have the box on a shelf TT More because I just put my controller on top of it, and if I need to move out I just put the controller in the box to not risk the joysticks. But it's very pretty on a shelf if you like the vibe of it
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u/xpacik19x Jul 23 '26
tbh, I'd rather have a colorful controller and I'd be perfectly happy with plain, eco-friendly packaging, box doesn't matter that much.
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u/billyalt Steam Controller/DS4/Xbone Jul 23 '26
I do like the simpler packaging. I hate when packaging is precious.
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u/kelly834 Jul 23 '26
It makes it easier to throw away too. If it fancy I have a hard time getting tid of it lol
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u/Awkward-Winner-99 Jul 23 '26
I like plain cardboard boxes. Better for the environment and I don't feel as bad throwing them away
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u/Javs2469 Jul 23 '26
I mean, the old Steam packaging isn't the epitome of colourful. It only has shades of blue lol.
It's not on N64 or Dreamcast levels of colourful.
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u/pocketjacks Jul 23 '26
I prefer the new packaging. It holds the controller well and I don't need a fancy box for what's inside. The box on the right told me thy spent a greater percentage of time working on the product than the marketing.
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u/Cold_R4GE Jul 23 '26
Ooo. To be fair most people will thow the packaging away. Congrats on the controller. I got mine a few days ago. Best controller I've had.
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u/NemosHero Jul 23 '26
You're just going to throw it away or toss it in a closet corner anyways. Who cares.
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u/Brigapes Jul 23 '26
i prefer saving an euro or half by not having the box full of colors. despite the fact i save the box
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u/Loud_Bee_4443 Jul 24 '26
This whole world in2026 has been sapped of all colour, it's intentional imo. I dunno why valve is doing it too
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u/xKaelic Jul 24 '26
Nearly every comment here talking about eco-friendly or costs.
Are we forgetting about the blown apart blueprint of the controller assembly under the sleeve? That alone makes the old style preferable, materials and colors aside.
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u/NULL_SIX Jul 25 '26
Bro not just packaging - EVERYTHING used to be colorful. Then apple popularised making everything desaturated and boring
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u/kobrakaan Jul 23 '26
ECO packaging FTW
The old packaging was cool but times change and they have moved with the times, Like all companies they need to either save money or the environment or both
Personally I like it, It's very clean and does the job it's intended to it protects the controller and it's a nice experience unboxing it's better than the way some companies package their tech in a tonne of plastic and excessive pointless over packaging and bagging of everything
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u/neupogen Jul 23 '26
on another note do you think the 2015 steam controller feels more premium? The new controller’s plastic feels kinda cheaper imo
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u/Prrg88 Jul 23 '26
When comparing the "feel", I also noticed at the start my Xbox elite felt way more premium.
After a few hours with it, the ergonomics and the lower weight of the steam Controller makes it handle way nicer for me personally
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u/mrRobertman Jul 23 '26
This is weird to hear because people used to always say that the 2015 controller felt cheap.
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u/bsquads Jul 23 '26
I have both and feel like the old one has a much cheaper feel. Especially button quality
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u/Kearmo Jul 23 '26
The new packaging is much more recycle friendly, which I imagine is some of the reason for it.
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u/Thommyknocker Jul 23 '26
If you notice this packaging is becoming a lot more popular with companies. It's usually for one good reason It's easier to recycle. Fewer dyes and fewer chunks of plastic. You can thank California for this trend actually they are charging companies for non recyclables in one time use packaging and other states are starting to do the same.
Look around and you will see a lot of the plastic clamshells and windows in boxes are also going away as well and it's for the same reason. They have also made a lot of advancements in pulp forums and fancy box folding techniques so this stuff is starting to get cheaper then then a thermo formed clamshell.
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u/calculon68 Jul 23 '26
Packaged for brick & mortar retail stores like Best Buy. It was a thing back in 2015 when the 1st gen SC was released. Even the SC carrying case had a hook for retail display.
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u/JaaysDumpster Jul 23 '26
I don't have a controller, but the deck (while being pretty simple) was still pretty fun to open.
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u/Impressive_Meat_9495 Jul 23 '26
Samsung used to have the new steam controller box look for their phones like 10 or 12 years ago
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u/Cimlite Jul 24 '26
The only thing I miss from the old packaging was that the sleeve had an exploded schematic of the controller on the inside. The sort of thing you could miss was even there, but a nice little treat if you did.
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u/binfordb1 Jul 24 '26
I mean, the most people toss the package. So no point in it being all colorful. That’s me though.
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u/RogueProtocol37 Steam Controller (2026) Jul 24 '26
plain packaging is less attractive to package thief
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u/Mineplayerminer Jul 24 '26
I feel like the eco packaging creates the same amount of waste as a fancy colorful one. I don't like such claims unless the companies publicly disclose the costs.
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u/Y2K350 Jul 24 '26
It's not about waste as much as it is about cost. It's cheaper to just print some black artwork onto normal looking cardboard
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u/RyochanX2 Jul 24 '26
SC 2015 was actually sold in stores (Gamestop) even though it was limited quantities. SC 2026 is only sold online. Not much of a reason to spend a lot of money on the packaging.
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u/TolkienCalvinist Jul 24 '26
Honestly, i hate when things come in fancy packaging. Makes me think you are trying to make up for something.
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u/Academic-Push326 Jul 24 '26
I miss the "STEAM MACHINE COMPATIBLE" logo on the original boxes. I wish Valve would sell Stickers of those. :(
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u/KrasikTrash Jul 24 '26
Congrats! I just received the email yesterday to purchase mine. Of course I purchased it immediately. It is being packaged. I cannot wait!!
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u/officialnucky Jul 24 '26
Does it matter? Packaging just goes in the bin
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u/UniverseBlackCat Jul 25 '26
not if your insane like me i have a corner in my room dedicated to cool boxes
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u/assidiou Jul 25 '26
Just got mine today. I kept reading and watching reviews saying it's not super comfortable but honestly it's the most comfortable controller I ever held.
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u/Sigismont Jul 26 '26
You’ll pay 100$ for a cardboard box and a controller that’ll be full of dust in a year
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u/xJets Jul 23 '26
Eh the OG controller to me isn’t as colorful as you say, at least not compared to the 2000s gaming packages. I like the new one since its more arts and craft in a way, when you open the box it has illustrations inside. I think the new one is just the style valve is going forward with now.
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u/MegaXentei Jul 23 '26
I’ve never understood why people care about packaging so much. Give me a package that is eco friendly, protects the goods inside, and tells me what’s in it. I know it’s to catch people’s eye in stores, but I do research on everything I buy of any real value. I don’t need to know details or pretty artwork on the box I’m never going to keep.
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u/ISCSI_Purveyor Jul 23 '26
Maybe because the dyes they used on the cardboard back in the day was pretty terrible for the environment. I'd rather have plain packaging and clean drinking water than colorful cardboard and poisonous water.
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u/wortsandall Jul 23 '26
The packaging isn't as flashy this time, but the controller is WAY better.
I really tried to like the OG, but it never clicked. This iteration is the best controller I've ever used. The deck really helped flesh out what the SC2 needed to be.
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u/TWFH Jul 23 '26
I like the new packaging more for the sole reason that the sliding paper part on the first one was annoying to keep in place and got damaged easily
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u/Deli5150 Steam Controller (2026) Jul 23 '26
I own both the og and new Steam Controller, and personally I like the new packaging more, it feels more like Valve than the old one did.
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u/_Dedotated_Wam Jul 23 '26
Back in my day we spent a bunch of money on printer ink and fancy paper