Get a closer look at the Steam Deck's Trackpad and Gyroscopic controls

Liam, please for the love of all things tux convince valve to give you the deck early!

It's almost a cringe fest reading an IGN article.

For example let's see this one:
https://www.ign.com/articles/steam-deck-hands-on-impressions-details-valve-handheld-gaming-pc

So much inaccuracy it makes me doubt their entire article.

For example:

QuoteThe Steam Deck runs a custom version of Steam OS that gives you a console-like experience on the surface without having to worry about things like drivers or setup, but under the hood is a full-blown PC for those that want the freedom to go deeper. The OS is built on Proton, a version of Linux that supports both Windows and Linux games and applications.

Feel like giving this writer a penguin slap with a wet fish.

The OS is built on proton? Proton is a version of Linux? Grrr so much inaccuracy.

I really wish IGN would fact check and research before they write!

There's other problems with their writing too but this is just an example of an immediate in your face mistake.

So please Liam help us out here! :D

Quoting: BlackBloodRumFeel like giving this writer a penguin slap with a wet fish.

The OS is built on proton? Proton is a version of Linux? Grrr so much inaccuracy.

I really wish IGN would fact check and research before they write!

There's other problems with their writing too but this is just an example of an immediate in your face mistake.

So please Liam help us out here! :D

The whole "The OS is built on Proton" bit sounds like the writer has no idea of what Proton is, that or he thought calling it a compatibility layer would confuse people. I personally would have gone with "although Steam OS is built of Linux, it comes packed with Proton, an utility that allows Windows games to run on it seamlessly" or something along those words.

Quoting: DaiKaiser93

Quoting: BlackBloodRumFeel like giving this writer a penguin slap with a wet fish.

The OS is built on proton? Proton is a version of Linux? Grrr so much inaccuracy.

I really wish IGN would fact check and research before they write!

There's other problems with their writing too but this is just an example of an immediate in your face mistake.

So please Liam help us out here! :D

The whole "The OS is built on Proton" bit sounds like the writer has no idea of what Proton is, that or he thought calling it a compatibility layer would confuse people. I personally would have gone with "although Steam OS is built of Linux, it comes packed with Proton, an utility that allows Windows games to run on it seamlessly" or something along those words.

I would expect Valve to tell them about those major mistakes.

Quoting: sub

Quoting: DaiKaiser93

Quoting: BlackBloodRumFeel like giving this writer a penguin slap with a wet fish.

The OS is built on proton? Proton is a version of Linux? Grrr so much inaccuracy.

I really wish IGN would fact check and research before they write!

There's other problems with their writing too but this is just an example of an immediate in your face mistake.

So please Liam help us out here! :D

The whole "The OS is built on Proton" bit sounds like the writer has no idea of what Proton is, that or he thought calling it a compatibility layer would confuse people. I personally would have gone with "although Steam OS is built of Linux, it comes packed with Proton, an utility that allows Windows games to run on it seamlessly" or something along those words.

I would expect Valve to tell them about those major mistakes.

That article has been there since 15 Jul, so I guess not.

Quoting: rustybroomhandle

Quoting: sub

Quoting: DaiKaiser93

Quoting: BlackBloodRumFeel like giving this writer a penguin slap with a wet fish.

The OS is built on proton? Proton is a version of Linux? Grrr so much inaccuracy.

I really wish IGN would fact check and research before they write!

There's other problems with their writing too but this is just an example of an immediate in your face mistake.

So please Liam help us out here! :D

The whole "The OS is built on Proton" bit sounds like the writer has no idea of what Proton is, that or he thought calling it a compatibility layer would confuse people. I personally would have gone with "although Steam OS is built of Linux, it comes packed with Proton, an utility that allows Windows games to run on it seamlessly" or something along those words.

I would expect Valve to tell them about those major mistakes.

That article has been there since 15 Jul, so I guess not.

Actually that's what I meant.
If they really have a close partnership with IGN this is slightly heading in the wrong direction, imho.

Quoting: BlackBloodRumI really wish IGN would fact check and research before they write!

We tried to correct them on it, no reply. We did the same for The Verge, who did actually corrected their article. The Verge initially said all Linux titles worked thanks to Proton *sigh*.

RPS also still has an embarrassing article implying that Big Picture Mode is the operating system.

Eurogamer at least corrected their own version of that story.


Last edited by rustybroomhandle on 27 July 2021 at 11:44 am UTC

It just feels like a bad decision to allow a writer on IGNs side to be writing about something they don't understand and don't bother to research a little first.

I mean I understand they've probably never used GNU/Linux and have no idea what proton is (clearly) and that's okay because outside of the Linux community they are for sure obscure terms.

I mean if I was asked to write about Windows I wouldn't even know where to start.

But with that said, if you're writing an article about something and you hit some words or terminalogy you don't understand or know, then take 5 minutes to Google "What is proton Linux?".

They don't need to be a GNU/Linux expert, but there is no excuse for a lack of fact checking and research where needed. The problem is that when a reader reads the article, that reader may also not know or understand those terms either. So they'll just take the writers word for it. Thus misinformation starts.

I don't mean to be ranting here, but it's my issue with IGN lol.

Ah, I already suspected the thumb-sticks being somewhat touch sensitive based on their look. This is definitely a very cool improvement over the Steam controller.

Pretty sure their original review of the Steam Controller, was something on the lines of: "I used it for 20 minutes, didn't feel like an Xbox controller, so I am reporting that it sucks". It's the sort of "quality" and "journalistic integrity" we've come to see from IGN. I expect nothing less of them... because they're already scraping the very bottom.


Last edited by mao_dze_dun on 27 July 2021 at 4:05 pm UTC

I wish my Steam Controller had a D-pad...

Id wager a writer like Jason Evangelho at Forbes will do a better job of writing Linux articles. I see that IGN are living up to their moniker 'Ignorant Gaming News'.


I know this has been mentioned but i wonder if the steam deck can be used as a controller with a regular PC ? A game could be adapted to take advantage of the screen for the map, ammo or even just social interaction buttons for instance instead of having to hold tab and bring up a radial menu. Not only that, but it would be great for using as a touch screen keyboard and remote control. Everything the steam deck can do but just attached to a powerful PC.

You know, it occurs to me that Valve are doing the hype a bit better this time. They certainly seem to have IGN sewed up. But also, they keep coming up with little things about the Steam Deck to talk up, so they can put out stuff about one feature today, another feature another day, and keep the thing in people's vision.
This in turn is one more thing that's useful about them making the thing themselves. With Steam Machines, they couldn't really talk about its features because there were a bunch of different ones and they weren't in control of any of them. With the Steam Deck, they have one unified thing--there are specific facts about it that they can talk about. Plus they seem to have put a fair amount of love into designing it, so they're happy to brag about it.
So far I think the PR is going fairly well.

QuoteSteam Controller (R.I.P)

... quiet weeping ...

Quoting: axredneckI wish my Steam Controller had a D-pad...

Me too. Me too.


(I am a little concerned that Valve has hardware ADHD. The fact they can't get a 2nd gen controller out the door seems like they just don't have the right internal capacity for hardware.)

Quoting: no_information_here

QuoteSteam Controller (R.I.P)

... quiet weeping ...

Quoting: axredneckI wish my Steam Controller had a D-pad...

Me too. Me too.

same. i have never used the second haptic touch pad, it only ever becomes a nuisance. If they had put a d-pad there it would of been a lot better. I see the same thing with the steam deck, the need for two haptics is limited.. one i can see for use as a mouse but two i don't really get.. maybe for fast typing on the steam controller (although one could do the job sufficiently enough & and lets be real how many people used the on screen keyboard for BPM with the steam controller to type ? every time i tried it, it minimized the game and brought up a small keyboard window on the desktop lol ) But for the deck you have a touch screen so you can type out your chat making the second haptic even more useless.


Last edited by Lofty on 27 July 2021 at 7:01 pm UTC

I'm just glad they're calling it a PC, so we can finally put that mainstream mentality that a PC is a windows OS to bed.

I know the IGN editor for our regional edition of the site and asked him to pass the corrections on to the US editorial staff. Maybe they will fix things.

Quoting: Lofty

Quoting: no_information_here

QuoteSteam Controller (R.I.P)

... quiet weeping ...

Quoting: axredneckI wish my Steam Controller had a D-pad...

Me too. Me too.

same. i have never used the second haptic touch pad, it only ever becomes a nuisance. If they had put a d-pad there it would of been a lot better. I see the same thing with the steam deck, the need for two haptics is limited.. one i can see for use as a mouse but two i don't really get.. maybe for fast typing on the steam controller (although one could do the job sufficiently enough & and lets be real how many people used the on screen keyboard for BPM with the steam controller to type ? every time i tried it, it minimized the game and brought up a small keyboard window on the desktop lol ) But for the deck you have a touch screen so you can type out your chat making the second haptic even more useless.

I would much rather trade the analog stick for a d-pad personally, but I like the Steam Deck approach of just including everything!

Quoting: no_information_here(I am a little concerned that Valve has hardware ADHD. The fact they can't get a 2nd gen controller out the door seems like they just don't have the right internal capacity for hardware.)

Yeahhhh, the rate at which they abandon hardware is alot.... They have what, one piece of hardware they still sell?

Quoting: grumpytoadI'm just glad they're calling it a PC, so we can finally put that mainstream mentality that a PC is a windows OS to bed.

Maybe I'm reading it weird, but from the context, I'm less certain they don't mean "PC is Windows" and thier understanding of proton is so poor they are confusing the basics.


Last edited by denyasis on 28 July 2021 at 12:28 am UTC

I interested in this. If other install their own distro, the drivers will be an easy install I hope. Similar to how System76 does it.