The new Steam Controller is already difficult to buy after it sold out in less than 30 minutes, but one lucky buyer who managed to get one is now reporting a serious problem with one of its accessories after nearly causing a fire.
The discussion started after Reddit user Toikka reported an accident involving the Steam Controller Puck, a small accessory that connects to a PC with USB. The puck attaches magnetically to the controller, charges it wirelessly, and also works as a 2.4 GHz receiver for a faster connection than Bluetooth.
Toikka explained that they were charging their Pixel Watch 3 near the Steam Controller Puck when the metal strap of the watch accidentally touched the puck’s exposed pins at the wrong angle. The result was immediate short-circuiting and sizzling sounds. According to the user, the puck quickly became extremely hot and caused visible burn damage to both the puck itself and the smartwatch strap.
The user explained, “My smartwatch’s metallic strap accidentally touched the Puck’s exposed contacts and started sizzling due to a short circuit. The smartwatch was on its own charger, and the strap of it hit the Puck at the exact wrong angle. Almost started a fire. Be careful if you have a metallic strap for your smartwatch or other metals around the Steam Puck, as when it’s on, the exposed contacts will start heating up anything they touch”
It’s worth mentioning that the Steam Controller Puck stays active the entire time while connected through USB and does not automatically stop sending power when no controller is attached. This kind of design is apparently common for charging docks and pucks and is not something unique to the Steam Controller alone. After the post went viral online, the Steam Hardware team also contacted the user to investigate the hardware, reproduce the issue, and provide a replacement puck.
In other news, fans have discovered a hidden Easter egg in the Steam Controller that plays the famous Wilhelm scream sound effect when the device is dropped.
