Image shows Steam Controller with thumbstick

Images have surfaced of a Steam Controller with an analog stick. Should Valve actually work on the controller as shown in the picture, the Steam Controller will become more and more a traditional controller.

The original Steam Controller stood out for its different trackpad design and absence of thumbsticks and d-pads. However, Valve came back to that and earlier this year announced that it had opted for a more traditional layout with d-pad and face buttons, in order to improve compatibility with old games. Despite the addition of a d-pad with buttons and four buttons labeled a, b, x and y, the version shown did not have analog sticks.

However, the beta of the PC version of the Steam client appears to contain an image of a Steam Controller that does have a thumbstick, a member of the FacePunch forum discovered. Although it is a recent image, it is not clear whether it is a controller that Valve is actually working on or an image of a prototype that the company has already dropped. The image only shows an analog stick on the left, the a, b, x and y buttons are still on the right and Valve has apparently not abandoned the idea for the round trackpads. Valve will release the Steam Controller in 2015, where a 2014 release was previously planned.