• Multiple users online have discovered a Steam Controller easter egg
• The Steam Controller lets out a Wilhelm scream when dropped
• It's unclear how Valve implemented this, but it may be via a built-in speaker or haptic motors

Valve's Steam Controller is highly regarded as one of the best PC controllers available for many reasons, and another one has just been added to the list to further justify its high ranking.

On Reddit, users have discovered that a Steam Controller easter egg, as the controller quite literally lets out a Wilhelm scream when dropped. The Wilhelm scream is a famous stock sound effect used throughout cinema – often when minor characters are falling to their doom. It can be heard in films such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, The Lord Of The Rings and many, many others. Below, you can hear a few examples.

This feature has already been corroborated by several other users and PC Gamer.

This is no game-changing feature by any means, but it simply serves as a funny addition and one of the most unique gimmicks I've ever seen with any gaming accessory. Valve seemingly wants every Steam Controller user to treat the controller with care — but I suppose we'll all want to drop it at least once, just to see what it's like.

It's also not exactly clear how Valve has even made this possible — could it be the spirit of the original Wilhelm scream is living inside the controller? Probably not, but I'd wager there's likely a built-in speaker muffled by the controller's casing (which would explain why it's fairly quiet) or haptic motors, which can produce sound.

Apparently, the new Steam Controller sometimes does the Wilhelm scream when dropped while in Big Picture Mode. from r/Steam

It's a goofy feature, sure, but it's yet another small bonus on why the Steam Controller is critically acclaimed, especially for PC players and those eyeing the upcoming Steam Machine, which may be imminent after facing delays due to the RAM crisis.

Unfortunately, the Steam Controller isn't easily accessible as it stands, due to scalpers effectively forcing Valve to introduce a reservation system to buy one, but I'm willing to wait patiently in the queue.

It will join my 8BitDo Ultimate 2 controller as my go-to when using my main gaming PC, SteamOS-dedicated (actually Bazzite) gaming PC, and my Nintendo Switch 2. Now, if you will excuse me, I'll resume my task of keeping an eye out for my reservation email.

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Isaiah is a Staff Writer for the Computing channel at TechRadar. He's spent over two years writing about all things tech, specifically games on PC, consoles, and handhelds. He started off at GameRant in 2022 after graduating from Birmingham City University in the same year, before writing at PC Guide which included work on deals articles, reviews, and news on PC products such as GPUs, CPUs, monitors, and more. He spends most of his time finding out about the exciting new features of upcoming GPUs, and is passionate about new game releases on PC, hoping that the ports aren't a complete mess.