Steam Controller Has an Easter Egg You’ll Wish You Never Found

Turns out Steam‘s new controller has a hidden Wilhelm scream that plays when the device is dropped from a certain height, an Easter egg many users probabaly aren’t eager to encounter firsthand. Since its announcement, the controller has been among Steam’s most anticipated peripherals, and with the device now available, fans have begun putting it through a range of tests, including experiments that uncovered the audio gag.

For those uninitiated, the Wilhelm scream is a sound effect from the 1950s that has been cleverly reused across multiple movie franchises, including Star Wars, as a running joke among editors. It’s also appeared in numerous video games, and Valve seems to have joined in by secretly including the scream in its new Steam Controller.

The New Steam Controller Might Scream

Reddit user RF3D19 shared that when the Steam Controller is dropped, it will occasionally play the famous scream sound effect. Since the gamepad does not feature speakers, it is believed that the sound is generated by the haptic motors, which can apparently reproduce sound through vibrations like a low-frequency speaker.

Many people have confirmed RF3D19’s claims, with some even offering precise instructions so other players can drop their Steam Controller the right way and trigger the sound. However, fans are of course recommended to avoid dropping their controller altogether or, if they want to experience the Easter egg, at least do it on a cushioned surface. Otherwise, there is a good chance their brand-new $99 Steam Controller could get damaged in the process.

Those who have been willing to drop their Steam Controller for the sake of science have discovered that there is actually a cooldown on the Easter egg. Users will not hear the Wilhelm scream every time they drop the device. The new Steam Controller will only screech once every couple of minutes. In other words, there is no point in repeatedly dropping it, as the Easter egg is seemingly time-gated.

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Valve has proven in the past that it enjoys hiding little secrets in its products. Back when it shipped Steam Deck units, fans quickly noticed a couple of Portal Easter eggs on the box. Portal has been one of Valve’s biggest first-party releases, so it felt only natural for the company to include a nod to it. Some of these references included the Weighted Companion Cube and the phrase “in a test chamber,” both of which were printed on the Steam Deck’s packaging and are instantly recognizable to Portal fans.

With the release of its latest gaming peripheral, Valve has once again managed to put a smile on buyers’ faces with little details like the Wilhelm scream. That said, hundreds of thousands of eager gamers are still waiting to get their hands on the coveted product. The new Steam Controller sold out within minutes, prompting the manufacturer to promise a restocking. However, there has been no official word on when the controller will be back in stock, and for now, most fans will have to wait for Valve to release more Steam Controllers before they can drop one and hear the creepy scream.