Steam Hardware

The controller requires some sort of drivers to get out of lizard mode and work as a general controller (with remapping and everything). This has been known as it acts identically to Steam Deck and the OG Steam Controller.

If you want to use the controller without Steam being used (which, it's worth noting, you can add non-steam games to Steam to use the controller, or adjust the default desktop profile to be a normal controller), then you should be able to use SISR (formerly GloSC and GloSI): https://github.com/Alia5/SISR

Or, on Linux, use sc-controller: https://github.com/C0rn3j/sc-controller

Wait, this is a 'problem'?

People didn't know this?

... can people not read?

Its... stated repeatedly, pretty plainly, that it works ... with Steam.

???

Just pretend that that installing Steam is installing the driver software and you're fine.

What's that? Hmm? Oh, you say you don't need an 3rd party account to install driver software?

Have you touched a windows PC in the last 5 years?

This should not be a problem on linux. The old controller has a basic linux driver included in the upstream kernel, and there is a userspace driver too called sc-controller which I have used.

It is kinda the same as with the steam deck where I noticed that the inputs just don't work until steam is launched.

That's just the moment when Steam is launching and in the process of taking over the controls. You can try it by shutting down Steam. The controller will continue working like the default desktop profile.

By default it presents mouse and keyboard functionality. And when you hold down the start button it switches to the pure gamepad mode. I play plenty of none-Steam-games that way. All with the native Linux FOSS driver. Without Steam or any other additional userspace software.

For me, the fact that your thumbs can touch when pressing the sticks to the middle is unfortunately enough for me to pass on this. Plus I hear the ergonomics of it doesn’t feel nice, pulling your elbows in to your body so you can hold it properly.

It should really come with an XInput mode. That's pretty much a basic feature for any PC controller.

Why would you buy a steam controller and not use it with steam?

I plan on using this specifically with my docked Steam Deck, so I don't mind. However, it's a good point to make.

I don't think it's a big deal, though. The entire reason to buy this thing is for the integration with Steam Input and all the cool things you can do with the track pads, Grip Sense and everything else. Steam Input absolutely blows away any third-party input app I've ever used in the past from Logitech, Corsair, or whoever. I suppose to be fair, they should release a stand-alone Steam Input program.

If Apple did this, and required... I dunno... fuckin' iTunes to run their Apple controller, I'd mock them and anyone who buys it, but I guess Valve gets a pass because I'm a fanboy.

I own one Epic game (Fenix Rising), and a few Humble games, and maybe a couple GoG, but 99.9% of the time I'm playing a Steam game anyway. I imagine the controller works fine for running a non-steam game that you've registered in your Steam Library.

there were community build userland drivers for the original steam controller i hope for something similar for the new one.

but valve support for such things would be great.

This is a dealbreaker for me. I was tempted by it despite the price, but fuck this. I refuse to run everything through steam

I wonder what's stopping them from releasing dedicated win drivers if the native ones are inadequate.

This is only off putting if there weren't 3rd party apps and drivers, which there probably will be. Librepods made airpod premium features work on Android, no reason why it can't be done here.

I was hoping I could also use this thing with my Switch 2 and PS3 (with some input dongles if needed), but I assume that's out of question now.

I'm still gonna get it, but only once I get a Steam Machine or another gaming PC. By then, this might go on discount too.