Home Gaming Steam gets native, beta DualShock 4 support

Steam gets native, beta DualShock 4 support

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DS4

As you may or may not know, Steam is getting full, native PlayStation 4 controller support. That’s great, because the little trackpad on the controller is fantastic for emulating mouse movement when you need to. Right now, that Steam Controller aside, the Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers stand as the de facto controllers on PC in games that play better with them.

That’s going to change, especially with native API support for the controller in Steam. In the new beta update, The DualShock 4 is now home to “the same sort of customization/configuration support as Steam Controllers, including native API support”. It brings with it touch controls, gyro controls and more. And while Sony would really like you to buy its wireless dongle for use on your PC, it works just fine connected via a USB cable, or through native, dongle-free Bluetooth support provided your BT adapter is compatible.

It’s been possible to use the DS4 on PC for ages through third-party software, but with this new beta update, that extra layer of abstraction is removed.

For easy access, here’s the full changelog from Steam regarding controller support:

  • Added Steam Configurator support for PS4 Dual Shock Controller. Note that this is a beta release. Enable in Big Picture settings Add/Test Controller settings. When enabled, PS4 controllers will have access to the same sort of customization/configuration support as Steam Controllers, including native API support.
  • PS4 Controllers using this system can map the trackpad, gyro, buttons, etc. to keyboard, mouse, or x-input outputs and can make use of action sets, touch menus, radial menus, and so forth.
  • Added New Mode – Joystick Mouse. This is a joystick based mouse control useful for stick based controllers.
  • Added default PS4 templates.
  • Added software calibration for non-Steam controller based IMUs to counter for gyro drift.
  • Configuration Browser can now be toggled to show all available controller types rather than the default of the in-use controller type.
  • Configurations can now be marked as “Unique” to a specific controller. This configuration will only be applied to that controller for that user’s account. By default, all controllers of a specific type will share a configuration unless marked as Unique.
  • Big Picture now supports PS4 controller glyphs when using Steam Configurator support.

Remember, you’ll need to opt in to Steam’s latest beta for support, which you can add in Big Picture mode.

Last Updated: November 1, 2016

28 Comments

  1. Pariah ???

    November 1, 2016 at 13:33

    Why would I trade in my vastly superior and way more comfortable Xbox One controller for the pain that is a PS4 controller. My hands would murder me themselves.

    Reply

    • Ottokie

      November 1, 2016 at 13:37

      As a PS fanboy it pains me to say this… but the Xbone controller in indeed superior (mainly on PC)

      Reply

    • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

      November 1, 2016 at 13:38

      Because not everyone is like you?

      Reply

      • Pariah ???

        November 1, 2016 at 13:40

        Can you imagine if they were? Holy shit. It’s better this way, trust me.

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

          November 1, 2016 at 13:42

          XD

          Reply

      • Dungeon of JJ

        November 1, 2016 at 16:25

        No, that can’t be it 😛

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

          November 2, 2016 at 09:08

          HAH!

          Reply

    • Audacity (or-das-it-eeee-eee)

      November 1, 2016 at 14:11

      Gotta agree with this

      My mate calls it “The Lamborghini of controllers”

      Reply

    • Andre Fourie

      November 1, 2016 at 14:13

    • Andre Fourie

      November 1, 2016 at 14:18

      The Xbox One controller is really really really comfy and one of the main reasons why I’m a Xbox Gamer. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/63bb475847a5a024bcde2c8e86c5e25d8e56b4eef1dc1557c236f826669616e9.jpg

      Reply

    • Dungeon of JJ

      November 1, 2016 at 16:23

      ^ this guy knows 😀

      Reply

    • ;^}

      November 2, 2016 at 05:04

      Scientists have confirmed that there is in fact such a thing as a ‘preference’.
      This groundbreaking discovery could mean that ‘opinion’ isn’t the only answer for what people like.
      Hopefully this will be the precursor for the acceptance of the widely controversial thought of ‘everybody likes their own things, and if you’re over the age of 10 and you don’t know that, then you either have shitty parents that can’t raise a kid to have common sense and morals, or are genuinely dumb enough to be that conceited’.

      Seriously, who fucking cares? I grew up using PS controllers, but ended up getting accustomed to Xbox controllers for PC games.

      Unless you can give a non-pathetic reason for why it personally matters and/or affects your daily life knowing that there are different types of gaming controllers that people you don’t personally know like, then your teacher fucked up by not holding you back in first grade.

      Reply

    • chimera_85

      November 2, 2016 at 08:32

      That’s your opinion but the DS4 is good, it’s not better than a xb controller but not vastly superior either.

      Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    November 1, 2016 at 14:53

    Meh. I played Dark Souls with a kb&m. Nothing scares me anymore.

    Reply

  3. Fox1 - Retro

    November 1, 2016 at 15:50

    Too late. The updated Xbox One controller with BT is available.

    Reply

    • Dungeon of JJ

      November 1, 2016 at 16:24

      *applies for loan*

      Reply

  4. Jonah Cash

    November 1, 2016 at 17:53

    Good now I can finally sell my XBONE. The last reason I still had it was to use the controller on my PC for gaming. Now it is truly redundant! Goodbye money not well spent machine.

    Reply

  5. Richard “Raptorian” C.

    November 1, 2016 at 18:39

    I am glad. I personally like the DS4 controller more, so I am glad support is added. (Xbox 360 in my opinion is the only one that beats it, Xbox one controller is just too fat.)

    Reply

  6. chimera_85

    November 2, 2016 at 08:31

    DStool? I use InputMapper

    Reply

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