Steam Now Offers Native Support For Sony's DualShock 4

Steam hasn't officially supported Sony's DualShock controllers for years. Most developers instead focused on support for Microsoft's Xbox controller and, more recently, the Steam controller. But the latest client update has finally brought native support for the DualShock 4 to Steam.

Valve's Jeff Bellinghausen said during a talk at Steam Dev Days earlier this year that support for additional controllers was on the horizon.
The DualShock 4 was the first controller to receive this support because of its gyroscope and touchpad, which are similar to those used in the Steam Controller, so it could work with the Steam Controller API. Bellinghausen also said that trying to use a DualShock 4 on PC was a horrible experience.

“Existing native support was just terrible. It just sucked and it was awful,” he said. “I’ve tried to use a PS4 controller on PC, and it’s just not great at the moment. Other devices work pretty good on PC already. This fills a hole, this meets that demand.” DualShock 4 controller support was available in the Steam client, albeit in beta form, at the end of October. This week’s client update represents the update growing up and leaving the beta stage.

Here's how it works: When using Steam Big Picture, you can use the Steam Configurator with the controller to map out commands for its buttons and triggers. You can also customize its gyroscope and touchpad functions to suit your needs. You don't have to install other software to make your PC think the DualShock 4 is an Xbox controller or trick it into converting the inputs into key presses. All you have to do is head into Steam's built-in settings.

DualShock 4 isn't the only thing included in this update. Steam added “higher bandwidth options” to enable in-home streaming of games in 4K. If you’re using the Oculus Touch with SteamVR, then its navigations functions are improved as well. There’s also a new controller mode called “Joystick Mouse,” which Valve said works best with stick-based controllers, and a new feature that lets you change the brightness and color of the LEDs on your controller. (This was presumably added because of the DualShock 4.) Check out the rest of the release notes to learn all the details about this client update.

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Rexly Peñaflorida is a freelance writer for Tom's Hardware covering topics such as computer hardware, video games, and general technology news.

6 Comments Comment from the forums

Scrotus

And it has created a really irritating problem for me. I play Assassin's Creed Syndicate that activates a UPlay account. I use a PS4 controller connected to the computer with a power cord USB connector. I also have a Steam account for playing Obduction. Now when I play Syndicate every time I press L3 to activate eagle vision if opens some kind of on screen keyboard thing that is associated with Steam Big Picture. When I press the O button to close the keyboard it minimizes my Syndicate game to the taskbar and opens the Steam program. Even if I don't have any programs open I can plug in the PS4 controller, press L3 and it brings up the on screen keyboard thing. I haven't found a way to disable the controller in Steam and I may just have to uninstall Steam.
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Jeff Fx

19007843 said:
And it has created a really irritating problem for me. I play Assassin's Creed Syndicate that activates a UPlay account. I use a PS4 controller connected to the computer with a power cord USB connector. I also have a Steam account for playing Obduction. Now when I play Syndicate every time I press L3 to activate eagle vision if opens some kind of on screen keyboard thing that is associated with Steam Big Picture. When I press the O button to close the keyboard it minimizes my Syndicate game to the taskbar and opens the Steam program. Even if I don't have any programs open I can plug in the PS4 controller, press L3 and it brings up the on screen keyboard thing. I haven't found a way to disable the controller in Steam and I may just have to uninstall Steam.

You don't have to leave Steam running all the time, and since it sounds like you're very new to PC gaming, and don't have 99% of your games in Steam like most PC gamers, there's really no reason to have it running in the background at all.
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lighteater12

19007843 said:
And it has created a really irritating problem for me. I play Assassin's Creed Syndicate that activates a UPlay account. I use a PS4 controller connected to the computer with a power cord USB connector. I also have a Steam account for playing Obduction. Now when I play Syndicate every time I press L3 to activate eagle vision if opens some kind of on screen keyboard thing that is associated with Steam Big Picture. When I press the O button to close the keyboard it minimizes my Syndicate game to the taskbar and opens the Steam program. Even if I don't have any programs open I can plug in the PS4 controller, press L3 and it brings up the on screen keyboard thing. I haven't found a way to disable the controller in Steam and I may just have to uninstall Steam.

Maybe Abstergo is trying to keep you from the truth. (Give me the Illuminati theme.)
Reply
Scrotus

Hello Jeff. I have it figured out now. I was using the X in the upper right corner that you normally use to close a program but apparently that leaves the big window or something running in the background. I noticed it in task manager background processes. I used the "exit" option instead of the X and that closes everything in Steam. The controller now works normally in Syndicate. Thanks for the nudge to investigate other options. Problem appears solved.

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nightshadexl

So when can we see support for the dualshock 3 controllers and not have to rely on virus prone third party apps?
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pocketdrummer

Now if only Valve could only get the Steam Link to work...
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