Hidden Feature in Valve's Steam Controller: The Wilhelm Scream

A secret Easter egg causes the Steam Controller to emit the iconic Wilhelm scream sound effect when dropped—but only sometimes.

Functionality and Triggers

The sound is generated by the controller's haptic motors. This unusual feature does not activate every time the controller is dropped; instead, the occurrence appears to be randomized. According to user reports, even when the controller is dropped under identical conditions, the scream may not play.

It remains unconfirmed whether the feature operates on a cooldown timer or is purely random.

The controller can produce the sound even when it is not paired to any device. Additionally, some users have reported hearing the scream when powering on the controller while in Steam's Big Picture mode.

Background on the Sound Effect

The Wilhelm scream is a stock sound effect that has been used in film and television since the 1950s. It is commonly associated with characters falling from great heights or being ejected from explosions.

Its appearance in the Steam Controller represents an Easter egg—a hidden, non-essential feature included by developers.

Discovery and Verification

The discovery was initially reported by Reddit user RF3D19 and was later verified by multiple sources.