Valve: Controller Use on Steam Has Tripled Since 2018, 59% Use Xbox Controllers - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 01 July 2024 / 2,321 Views
Valve has revealed daily average controller use on Steam has tripled since 2018 from five percent up to 15 percent.
Xbox controllers are the most popular to use on Steam with 59 percent of sessions using one. This is followed by PlayStation controllers at 26 percent and the Steam Deck at 10 percent.
It was also revealed that Steam Input when implemented in a game supports over 300 controllers.
The team at Valve have added new features and improvements for Steam Input and controller users:
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Big Picture update – complete redesign of the controller first experience on Steam, bringing the Steam Deck user experience to the big screen
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New controller configurator – rethought and simplified configurator to set, manage, and edit controller bindings
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Gyro aiming – overhauled and improved experience for controllers with gyro, implemented Flickstick functionality in Steam Input
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Virtual menus – added support to the desktop client
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PlayStation Controller support - We worked with Sony to improve support for PS controllers including DualSense Edge, and can now automatically support future 3rd party licensed PlayStation gamepads
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Xbox Controller support – We shipped a driver for Windows allowing us to better support Xbox One controllers, including the rear buttons on the Xbox Elite Controllers
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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The Xbox controller is great, despite being the same since the Xbox One released. so I am not surprised.
Very true I still use a controller that is basically a copy of the xbox 360 controller i was using in in 07
This is why Steam continues to dominate. Valve works to make their entire ecosystem better in every aspect. I would say Epic should be taking notes, but they would probably just throw those notes in the trash lol
Part of the 26% lol.
Me too. I feel like Playstation can improve alot If they start using A, B, X, Y and the classic Square, circle... At the same time on their controllers.
A small "X" in the Square Button, "Y" in the triangle, "B" at Circle...
yikes
Same. Just wish more games included the PS button icons. The default X-Box layouts always confuse me since my only other exposure to the lettered buttons is from Nintendo consoles, which are reversed since JP goes right to left. At least modding the prompts is becoming a more common option.
My sister also with her Dualshock 4
Bigger % than what I would've ever imagined given the xbox controller has a lifetime advantage over the years steam has supported PS controllers. Cool to see.
I am a hold out for a few older controllers. I use 2 Wii u pro controllers for games that don't benefit from a touch pad or analog triggers. For those I have 4 steam controllers.
I like them so much I do routine maintenance on them to keep them going
Old school I like that!
I'm the odd Switch Pro Controller user.
Does that work with Steam?
There is literally a toggle for it in settings just like the Xbox controller
Xbox has always had some of the best controllers. Build quality, flexibility and price has been always great.
Xbox controller just works better on Steam than the dualsense.
It uses the same wireless tech that's in the Xbox console, so less latency than bluetooth along with being able to pair any wireless peripheral device with the adapter and in-game voice chat when I'm playing with some friends through the Xbox app on PC. Although those days are numbered now that Discord is fully integrated with Xbox lol. But you can also pair up to 8 Xbox controllers on a single adapter, so I've been able to use it for some local co-op games.
It's largely the same thanks to Valve. With the DS you have a touchpad, gyro aiming and some features like the adaptive triggers. Same with the s Switch Pro Controller.
The only game that I use controller on is Dark Souls, other than that it is strictly keyboard and mouse for me.
Don't play on pc anymore and don't want to loved it back when I was in my 20s single married with kids I just kick back with the ps5
Xbox still has easily the best controller, especially the layout. Steam is proving this fact.
If Xbox doesn’t have a controller set up for their next handheld exactly like the Sony Portal does with a controller cut in half…..that it will be a travesty for core gamers.
At least have 2 Xbox handled versions of their Handheld with a full controller set up and a traditional controller set up.
Imho, , it's a matter of preference, both controls are comfortable. That said...
I hate the Xbox controller in some games like Soulsborne (Elden Ring, Dark souls...), Monster Hunter, Nioh, Devil May Cry and any other where quick access to the D-pad helps with gameplay.
I'm a claw grip user and I like to use my left index finger to quickly access the D-pad, something that doesn't work well on the Xbox/Nintendo controller. For me it's a clear limitation of accessibility and a design flaw, pads on the back help, but I still prefer to use the claw grip.
Imho, Playstation controller is the superior desing. Due to my way of playing, the Playstation controller is objectively better.
Agreed! More specifically for me, the DualSense is just amazing and this is coming from someone who was a little dubious before trying it. After using it, pretty much every other controller doesn't feel as good anymore.
Speaking as a PC gamer, the primary factor is that Xbox controllers were the ONLY controllers that worked natively with Windows, which means it was the only controller most developers supported for the PC version. It became the default controller because it was the only viable option most of the time. Even if you downloaded a shareware program for Playstation controllers that actually worked it was still going to have Xbox prompts. I bought an Xbox controller even thought I've never owned an Xbox (though I couldn't get used to it and went back to kb/m rather quickly).
Actually, I'm kind of amazed that Playstation is up from effectively zero to nearly half as much as the Xbox controller.
To answer your question the main reason why the PS controller percentage has risen is due to Sony's push toward PC gaming with the decision to release their games over time and the better PC support for PS controllers that came from that decision meant that many PC gamers with a PS console could now not only use the controller for those PS games that were designed around it, but that support opened up its use a as a generic controller.
The main reason is Valve's effort. Without Valve, the PS controllers would sit at a far lower percentage still havint to use ds4windows, x360ce and such.
Obviously Valve was involved Steam is their platform after all but Sony 's move toward PC was the main reason for the uptick in PS controller use.
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