r/SteamController • u/doublah • 1d ago
News Steam Controller Firmware update (October 13th 2026)
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u/PhoenixLandPirate_ 1d ago
I hope they figure out, a way for games that use DS5 haptics, to be translated to the SC2, without having to force your SC2 to pretend to be a DS5.
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u/Intrepid_Income_3051 1d ago
Does forcing it work? What do you force it with?
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u/PhoenixLandPirate_ 1d ago
It's hit or miss, but DS2 theres a HUGE difference, you can notice it straight away, others not so much.
I used this:
https://github.com/ga2mer/sc2dsIt took me a bit to get working on SteamOS, I put what I did here, I think it still might miss a step, and might not be super clear, but it's the best I could write it at the time.
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamController/comments/1w8gv7s/comment/p893kkd/?context=3
Edit:
You also lose gyro support, IDK why since the DS5 has gyro, but you do, and the trackpads, I think the left 1 acts as the dualshocks trackpad, and the right one still figures how to be a mouse.5
u/Plastic_Young_9763 1d ago
Damn, losing gyro is a deal breaker, I'd rather not have any rumble imo
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u/PhoenixLandPirate_ 23h ago
Depends on the game and how much difference it makes, like I'll lose gyro for how much better rumble feels in Death Stranding 2, but it doesn't make enough of a difference to be worth it with Horizion Zero Dawn.
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u/FirebladeIsOnReddit 1d ago
Wait so this just translates the dualsense haptics to steam controller? I don’t really get the use for this or what it means with audio
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u/PhoenixLandPirate_ 23h ago
Yeah, It means you get WAY better rumble, rather then standard rumble in some games.
DS5 uses audio for Haptic rumble, so it translates the audio from DS5 audio Haptics, to whatever works with the Steam Controller.
It seems like the audio that goes through the speaker also gets translated, because the Steam Controller can make recognizable sounds via the HD Rumble.
You'd struggle to, but you can listen to music through the HD rumble of the Steam Controller.
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u/Thejax_ 1d ago
The DS5 haptics, even though the steam controllers are great too, and the triggers are the only thing holding back the steam controller from being my 100% favorite controller.
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u/PhoenixLandPirate_ 23h ago
The SC2 is absolutely my fav controller, if devs just added HD rumble and gyro properly to games, rather than using DS5 only methods, that'd be a big +1 to the Steam controller.
I do wish it had more features, like the Haptic Triggers, mic, speaker and AUX port, would be FANTASTIC, but I'm happiest with this controller over anyone else at the current time.
Again, just wish devs would be like "The Steam controller has Gyro and HD Rumble, lets enable native Gyro, and make sure HD rumble works for that controller" rather than going "We'll add native gyro and HD Rumble for the DualSense 5, but Steam Controller, nah, just make it emulate a mouse, or analogue stick, and stick with standard rumble"
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u/doublah 1d ago
Full steam client update notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1675200/view/675134162359815513
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u/sqparadox Steam Controller (2015 & 2026) 1d ago
Wow, restoring the rumble intensity setting is a big deal. It's also been re-enabled for the 2015 Steam Controller.
And changing it mid-game does work, though it is a bit clunky to get to in the game's properties menu.
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u/voidfillproduct 1d ago
Uhh... after the update, my Steam Controller rapidly turns off and on in a cycle unless it's powered down manually. Anybody else experiencing this?
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u/TaxOrnery9501 1d ago
Mine has started turning back on automatically after powering down since the firmware update.
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u/PotatoLord_69 1d ago
Yh I get this fairly often too. It just turns on once after I turn it off so I turn it off again and it’s fine but strange regardless
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u/Towairatu BY September, not IN September 11h ago
Same, the fix is pressing really quick the button combination.
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u/QuantumPhotom 1d ago
In a recent update they made it so the LED stays permanently on when it's docked. Is there any way to disable this?
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u/Firegod991 19h ago
This also bugs me I couldn't find a way to disable so hopefully steam adds this to settings soon.
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u/TiSoBr 1d ago
I truly can't wrap my head around why they wouldn't adapt the OpenPuck system.
They'd sell so many more controllers, no?
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u/Fregadero88 1d ago
I think the controller is still sold out, so not a concern yet.
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u/Yurij89 1d ago
Shipping date for new reservations are estimated to next year
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u/Fregadero88 1d ago
so yeah, no Incentive to focus on openpuck. they need to at least let us buy secondary or replacement pucks.
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u/FirebladeIsOnReddit 1d ago
I mean it could be done with a firmware update probably, but that’s not what Steam’s goal is with the Steam controller. I don’t think they’d want to emulate a switch or Xbox controller on other consoles
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u/Python_l Steam Controller (Windows) 1d ago
I don't get how not more people are complaining about Valve being more anti-consumer than Xbox, Sony and Nintendo in that regard.
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u/HeavyMain Steam Controller (2026) 1d ago
are they? none of the consoles controllers work on the other consoles, they only "cross" onto PC. i assume this is more about licensing and a lot of added development time for an extremely niche audience. openpuck being made for free out of passion bypasses the extra costs of making the pad work on consoles that really can't utilize the features anyway. development costs that would have been passed onto the consumer. im curious what people want to use their steam controller on consoles for.
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u/Python_l Steam Controller (Windows) 6h ago
The controllers don't work on other consoles but they generally work on PC and phones. The Steam Controller doesn't even fully support PC games, since it doesn't work outside of Steam.
I wouldn't say that all games outside of Steam are a niche audience. There are workarounds with adding non-steam games and workarounds for those workarounds not working for gamepass but that's something Valve could fix right away if they wanted to.
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u/HeavyMain Steam Controller (2026) 5h ago
oh yeah, it seems mostly like they made it to sell steam machines and the standalone controller was a bit of an afterthought tbh. using steam as the driver mostly works though so i get why they did it like that
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u/Python_l Steam Controller (Windows) 4h ago
It's been the same with the original Steam controller so it's probably by design. Under linux it apparently works a bit better since they seem to use SDL anyway.
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u/FirebladeIsOnReddit 12h ago
How is that more anti consumer? Console controllers don’t work on other consoles
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u/UltimateAK86 1d ago
This is awesome. I was sort of frustrated swapping the BT pairing between Frame and my docked Deck. This solves that problem. Thanks Valve!
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u/AcridNebula 1d ago
It’s great that they’ve finally added a second BLE slot, but I no longer need it since getting the Machine.
Good to have flexibility all the same.
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u/FirebladeIsOnReddit 1d ago
The rumble intensity is cool, but nothing I am too hyped about. I really hope they add in a built in way to emulate an Xbox controller for games that only support that someday though. It would make non Steam games easier
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u/Ace_the_Firefist Steam Controller (2026) 1d ago
That functionality exists (through the steam client/proton) on Linux. No clue why valve can't do it for windows. Perhaps because they would need a signed driver there?
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u/FirebladeIsOnReddit 12h ago
Yeah. I’d like to see them added to windows. I have really been considering switching to Linux recently lol
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u/CaptainHppo Steam Controller (2026) 6h ago
So it's a thing you toggle and then close the steam client and stuff like emulators would start seeing it as an Xbox controller?
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u/Upr1ght 1d ago
I really think they need to make switching between Internal and Puck more intuitive. Right now it’s not very straightforward.
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u/Dimatizer 1d ago
It's pretty simple? You have two slots and select which slot when turning on the controller. A + R1 + Steam or A + L1 + Steam.
I have both of my controllers R1 slot connected to my steam machine and the L1 slot to a puck.
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u/Verition 1d ago
It would be nicer if we could switch without having to turn off the controller first
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u/EL-Hintern 1d ago
I don’t understand. What is the purpose of this? Sorry, bit of a noob when it comes to windows gaming and Steam (&controller)
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u/HeavyMain Steam Controller (2026) 1d ago
it lets you switch between multiple game setups without having to plug the controller in and reset the pairing each time. for people with a pc and a laptop, for example
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u/Dimatizer 1d ago
As an example, I have my Steam Machine in my living room and a laptop in my garage for streaming games to from my PC. My controller is connected to both the SM internal puck as well as the wired puck connected to my laptop. This way I can quickly swap which device my controller is being used for.
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u/Upr1ght 6h ago
Spent all morning trying to assign the puck to L+A and steam button and the Internal adapter to the opposite R+A and steam button and it just doesn’t work. This whole process is extremely unintuitive. When I select my controller in settings it would be far more intuitive to have an option to switch in that menu.
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u/Dimatizer 5h ago
Agreed. Try this, once you have it connected, go to controller settings and into the controller, forget the paired pucks, turn of the controller, start it into the L+A slot and then plug it into the SM to pair the internal puck to that slot.
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u/0xba1dc0de 1d ago
The button combination to switch devices is weird. Especially L1 + B + Steam. The placement of the hands will be awkward.
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u/LolindirLink 1d ago
Left thumb should easily reach the steam button and it only requires a tap, and only to start it up. Less confusing and accidentally hit than R2 for example.
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u/Krejcimir 1d ago
Anybody else got problems with A input?
It is not a button problem, but I could swear that sometimes it cant recognize quick press and long press.
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u/andyahbea 1d ago
anyone else not have the option to update? i went to steam settings to check as well but i dont have the option to change the rumble intensity
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u/daf435-con 1d ago
Are haptics still weird, where any rumble is sent through the trackpads rather than the linear motors in the grips?
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u/EL-Hintern 1d ago
I have one weird issue since the beginning of when I got the controller. I‘m on Windows and whenever I open up Steam I get a popup that the controller is now connected and checking for firmware updates. Is that normal or can I some deactivate this popup? It‘s a bit annoying. I need to press continue like 3 times.
Anyone else with this issue?
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u/alicenin9 1d ago
Is it the one where it's like "we see you're using a steam controller?" And then you click next and it checks for updates then says your good to go. I get it every few times I game
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u/EL-Hintern 1d ago
Yeah right, this is the one I think. I forgot the precise wording. I get it every time.
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u/robotbeatrally 1d ago
man switching between BT and Wifi is going to make me uninstall myself.
I always have so much trouble getting it to actually switch.
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u/HeavyMain Steam Controller (2026) 1d ago
oh wow, they fixed the thumbstick range being limited with software? i had to RMA my day 1 pad because the range of the stick went bad. i would have thought it was a wire catching rather than a software glitch?
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u/Crashezz 10h ago
Playing Diablo 4 last night and hate the rumble now, i switched from an Xbox pro controller to Steam a while back and one thing i found much better was the haptic over rumble, softer, calmer feeling (theres no option in D4 to change rumble intensity) but after yesterdays update its hits harder and feels horrible now.
Tried to find a setting for the intensity in Steam but failed, will try a bit harder to find it tonight lol specially as the patch notes above mention configurable intensity levels
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u/nowhammyinmyjammies 1d ago
No X input mode still. Useless.
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u/nikso14 1d ago
There's some software that gives you that functionality if you really want to have it, hopefully valve will eventually add the feature.
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u/nowhammyinmyjammies 1d ago
I've tried steamless controller and SISR. Steamless controller is the most simple one but I've noticed the thumb sticks seem to act as if there is no dead zone at all. SISR seems to work but honestly managing multiple different shortcuts so I can leverage the features of the steam controller is more than what I want to do.
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u/shadow7412 1d ago
Ooh! Connect to all the devices!