Will the new Steam Controller work on linux as a generic gamepad outside steam?

Posted by Linuksoid@reddit | linux | View on Reddit | 38 comments

I play games on many launchers, not just steam. I wanted to know if the new steam controller will have gamepad support outside steam on linux? I don't mind if it doesn't have gyro and the extra features outside steam, just that it works as a generic gamepad.

Reviews from GamersNexus and Skillup indicate it doesn't work as a generic gamepad on windows, but I thought that linux had a kernel module or sdl or something to get it to work?

I haven't seen any videos on linux support of the new steam controller, which i think is ironic so that is why i am making this post

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ButterflyMundane7187@reddit

The new Steam Controller still has no confirmed generic gamepad mode on Linux, and early behavior on Windows suggests it likely won’t expose XInput/SDL outside Steam. Linux will definitely support it through Steam Input, but other launchers may require community tools like SC‑Controller once updated. Until someone tests real hardware on Linux, the safest assumption is Steam required for full functionality.

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refat17@reddit

Steam Controller (old one) does expose SDL outside of Steam already. I tested with Dolphin Emulator.

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Nextil@reddit

Steam can output XInput to everything outside of Steam if you just set the desktop profile to output controller inputs instead of KB&M. But yeah it sounds like there's no hardware support. I'm sure whatever protocol it uses will not be obfuscated/encrypted so even if Valve doesn't bother to provide drivers, someone will develop them.

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RanidSpace@reddit

xinput kinda doesn't exist on linux. thankfully. instead it's libinput which is much better. we don't know if steam works with it

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Wheatleytron@reddit

Knowing Valve, probably. But we just don't know enough yet.

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Ok-Winner-6589@reddit

Proton is tied to the Steam Launcher until someone ported It on their own...

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signalno11@reddit

Well. Proton is part of Steam Runtime. Someone had to recreate the Steam Runtime system outside of Steam. Otherwise, Proton is just Wine+dxvk+vkd3d, and a few other patches and components. All of which are open sourced.

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Ok-Winner-6589@reddit

These are already included on the package with WINE on every distro. And being a part of the Steam runtime was unnecesary.

And why wouldn't the controller be part of the Steam runtime? How is a software build from Scratch by Valve less likely to be part of a runtime when they make an independent softwares dependent on their runtime for no reason?

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signalno11@reddit

The entire mechanism of how Steam launches and opens games (and itself) is through the Steam Runtime. Yes, Steam could've used Flatpak runtimes, but they didn't exist at the time, and redesigning the software later would be a task for not much benefit. The Steam controller will likely just act like a normal gamepad and probably will expose itself as a mouse as well.

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Ok-Winner-6589@reddit

And it's tied to the runtime because... Why does It have dependencies on Steam runtime?

Mac players can use WINE on Steam without any issue but Linux users can not use Proton without It being tied to the Steam Launcher?

Also, we should Talk about how Steam interacts with open source... They have been improving, but they kinda violated GPLv2 restrictions when It came to their kernel for years...

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Linuksoid@reddit (OP)

There is PortProton that runs proton outside the steam launcher fyi

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jar36@reddit

isn't umu the same?

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Linuksoid@reddit (OP)

kind of but not really

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jar36@reddit

Always something new (to me, at least) for me to look into

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Ok-Winner-6589@reddit

UNTIL SOMEONE PORTED IT ON THEIR OWN Looks like a lot of people here can not read

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Dangerous_Car3238@reddit

what are you implying?

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Ok-Winner-6589@reddit

That some info says that the controller only runs with the launcher as every fucking software developed by valve...

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ack4@reddit

i too was wondering this, but i suspect so, since it will surely be compatible with steamos

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FellTheCommonTroll@reddit

the pc gamer article mentioned something about a desktop profile that would be active when you're not running a game through steam, but I don't know if that would mean you still need to have steam running for it to work

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im_enalid@reddit

With the original controller I believe the mappings were common keyboard presses(space, escape, enter are the ones I remember) + mouse + scroll wheel without steam running.

It wasn’t a Direct Input device afaik because it didn’t work with games that had PS controller support or XInput without steam running. This was on windows and idk if valve changed it for the new version

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trowgundam@reddit

https://www.tomshardware.com/peripherals/controllers-gamepads/valve-steam-controller-developer-interview

Go down to the "All roads lead to Steam" section. Here is the pertinent part:

The Steam Controller is designed for devices that use Steam. It works with Windowsand with Macs, but Steam has to be running. Otherwise, it's seen as a hybrid mouse/keyboard input device. (Even on a PlayStation, it's seen as a mouse. The exception is Linux, where Valve has a driver in the kernel with gamepad functionality).

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nathris@reddit

No, it will work like a mouse with a button combo to pull up a virtual keyboard like the Steam Deck and OG Steam Controller do.

Steam has a desktop profile for steam input though that is active as long as Steam is running in the background, so you could configure it so that it behaves like a standard controller.

Its done this way intentionally because its better to act as a mouse + keyboard in situations where Steam isn't running, like the bios or bootloader.

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Linuksoid@reddit (OP)

ah i was hoping there was a kernel module for linux or something that would allow the use of steam controller as a generic gamepad. or at least through sdl or something

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marcellusmartel@reddit

If early signs are anything to go by, it might show up as a keyboard and mouse combo outside of Steam. With steam running in the background it might be fully functional, like on the steam deck.

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Linuksoid@reddit (OP)

That seems to be the case for windows only. Nobody has tested it on linux as far as i know

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marcellusmartel@reddit

Not specifically, but its reasonable that valve will have it be standardized. More importantly, they are trying to maintain 1:1 parity with steam deck. Since the steam deck controls function similarly, I would assume the same for steam controller.

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stupidfuckingmutt@reddit

The steam deck has a toggle between desktop controls and gamepad controls in the desktop mode; I'd imagine they would try that for the Steam Controller too

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motlias@reddit

I hope so, I don't see why not, the steam deck controls work fine on desktop mode

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VerryRides@reddit

Steam is running in the background in desktop mode which is why your controller works. It's translating input. If you close steam completely, the controls no longer work.

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kill-the-maFIA@reddit

Even when I exit steam on my deck in desktop mode, it works.

It's just the on screen keyboard that requires steam to be running in my experience.

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Nextil@reddit

Not sure about game input controls but I'm pretty sure they all still work for desktop interaction (although the on-screen keyboard relies on Steam). I imagine the controls are accessible via SDL or something but you'd need to block them from outputting the KB&M inputs simultaneously.

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chrisoboe@reddit

it will be definetly supported since the controller works with the steamdeck which is Linux based.

in the worst case it'll need steam at first, till a proper kernel level input driver is written.

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arthank-chroot@reddit

As far as I know yes, but the hype about it is the steam input API and that probably won't work unless you launch your game through steam... Which you can do to almost anything really. Steam input is tied to the overlay. Knowing valve they might release some drivers that let you do that globally anyway, and the controller will be high quality. The price just doesn't make sense without the steam input support

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