Daniel Mercer
Mechanism, a company known for its innovative “gaming pillow” designed for the Steam Deck and a variety of ergonomic grips for handheld gaming consoles and PCs, is excited to announce its latest accessory for the Steam Controller. Set to launch on May 4, the Basegrip for Steam Controller will enable users to easily attach their controllers to smartphones and numerous other mounts already available from Mechanism’s extensive product lineup.
The Basegrip for Steam Controller is meticulously designed to contour perfectly over the back of the controller, ensuring a secure fit while still allowing access for the magnetic charging puck. This thoughtful design means that with the Basegrip in place, users can connect the Steam Controller to many of Mechanism’s existing mounts, including a specialized phone mount. This mount facilitates a magnetic attachment of a smartphone directly to the top of the controller, effectively transforming it into a compact handheld gaming console capable of playing a variety of games.
However, it is important to note that Valve has explicitly stated that the Steam Controller is primarily designed for use with Steam and the Steam Link app. Mechanism acknowledges this limitation by indicating that “the controller doesn’t work across all of iOS or Android yet.” While you can theoretically use your smartphone, Steam Controller, and the Steam Link app to stream your PC games, current usage may be restricted to that functionality. Nonetheless, future software updates could enhance compatibility, which may expand the versatility of using the Steam Controller with smartphones. Despite this limitation, Mechanism continues to offer a range of useful accessories, including the anticipated Steam Controller Dock, which elegantly displays the controller when not in use while also incorporating the charging puck for continuous power.
Mechanism has announced that the Basegrip for Steam Controller will be available for purchase on May 4 at an affordable price of $9, with potential discounts available when bundled with other accessories. The Steam Controller Dock is set to release in June, although a final price has yet to be determined. Interested customers can currently join a waitlist to secure their purchase.
David Bridges
