Valve will add native support for the Playstation 4 DualShock 4 controller on Steam

Valve has announced at its Steam Dev Days conference that it will soon add native support for Playstation 4’s DualShock 4 controller on Steam. According to Valve, the Steam Controller API will soon support other game controllers natively, and the PS4 controller will be the first one.

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As Valve’s Jeff Bellinghausen said:

“Believe it or not, when you use the PS4 Controller through the Steam API, it’s exactly the same as a Steam Controller. You make the exact same API calls, you only get actions, not inputs, and the Steam API takes care of everything.”

Valve decided to add support for the PS4 DualShock 4 because: a) it’s a great controller with a gyro and a touchpad, and b) the existing native support for the PS4 controller on the PC is currently a bit weak.

“Now, why start with the PS4 controller? Well, not only is it a really nice, high quality controller, but it’s also got a gyro and a touchpad, so it’s got a lot of overlapping functionality with the Steam Controller. Also, existing native support for the PS4 controller on the PC is a bit weak; in this case Steam itself is communicating directly with the device so everything that’s nice and reliable.”

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Valve did not reveal when the Playstation 4 DualShock 4 controller will be natively supported on Steam, other than it will be done soon.

Still, this is really exciting as a lot of PC gamers wanted to use their DualShock 4 controllers (and were unable to as it was not widely supported on the PC).

31 thoughts on “Valve will add native support for the Playstation 4 DualShock 4 controller on Steam”

  1. Another hard blow for Atto$oft.

    Now analog stick wagglers will be able to choose from 2 dirty peasant’s gaympads with widest support among gayms.

    Too bad I’m quite used to the xbot gaympad analOG sticks layout. Their precision though leaves something to be desired to be extremely polite about it. Durability is rather weak too for the asking price.

    Btw. any gaympad connoisseurs around here willing to recommend one with truly precise sticks (if a product like this even exists for that matter)?

      1. For FPS games and MMO/RTS games, keyboard + mouse is a must. But controllers have their own use and place. I use controllers for genres such as hack n’ slash/spectacle fighter (i.e. Devil May Cry), platformers and racing games (I know the wheel is better, but the controller is the next best thing and I don’t have enough space for a wheel anyway).

        Oddly enough I prefer the keyboard for fighting games (a fightstick would probably be better), but that’s just me. 😛

  2. GREAT, not that MS controller was bad, but PS4 is IMHO better, i really prefer the ergonomics, the button layout, the simetry, color, features, weight, price.

      1. I agree with the D-pad statement but the Wii U gamepad(not the tablet) easily has the best D-Pad. I tried to new xbox one d-pad and it feels kind of like a click.

  3. Good to hear. DS4 is my favorite controller with most titles, I’ve been using it successfully with Input Mapper for a while now. More support is always better.

      1. When did they said it? And what does it means for pc gaming? what the difference betwen a steam link connected to tv and between steam like being inside a tv?

  4. C’mon man, out of all the games they can use for advertising controller support Doom? I’m all about open choice that’s what the pc platform is for, but if your using a controller to play Doom ’16 then you’re doing it wrong lol

  5. Yeah, “Great”, now some games will show DS4 prompts instead of the Xbox prompts, and I still wont know what to press with my keyboard+mouse

  6. Recently i have switched my Old (12 years or so) PS2 DS2 for this baby PS4 DS4 and it really rocks ! Everything here is better -> InputMapper and compatibility with New Games is awesome. Best Joy ever IMO

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