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Why aren’t there more PC-first gamepads? Valve don’t know, but they "did see an opportunity" for the new Steam Controller
(www.rockpapershotgun.com)
this post was submitted on 29 Apr 2026
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To add onto your point, a lot of games where mouse+keyboard isn't the best set of inputs, neither is a controller. Things like flight games or racing games.
Exactly, honestly fighting games are the only genre I can think of where a controller is better than keyboard/mouse.. maybe platformers?
Edit: again this is my personal opinion. I knew a guy back when lan parties were still a thing that would play shooters with a trackball and he would annihilate everyone. We all got our preferences :)
Souls like games are pretty much always far superior on controller imo over m+kb. M+kb just feels janky for me in souls likes
Yea I can see that -I suck so bad at souls games I tend not to play them much anymore
Rock Band drum kit is the only non-pleb way to play soulslikes
Yeah they don't make them with mouse and keyboard in mind or even pcs at all despite elden ring launching on steam at the same time. First version of Elden ring you couldn't two hand a weapon, not possible with the default key binding. Also first patch had the funniest item on it, something like "Fix to use the GPU".
Any game that benefits from more then 8 directional movement is better on controller typically. Which is pretty much just third person action games with reflex based movement mechanics. So souls likes typically.
I actually bought a Logitech trackball mouse shortly after I got my PC. My grandpa used to use one and I thought it might have been good for some gaming, but it had been too long since I last used it so it didn't feel right.
I'm now thinking of an amazing feature the Steam Controller could have had that would have made it actually above other controllers. If the pads also had programmable screens, you could have throttle displays and stuff on them, that are set by touch. It still wouldn't be a flight stick, but it'd be a lot closer. That ability would actually justify it above other controllers. Currently it seems good, but I've already got controllers and can't justify $99 for another one.
Controllers are definitely the best option for racing games.
Jimmy Broadbent suddenly sits up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily
I don't know what that means.
TBF I'm pretty sure Jimmy is always sweating
he's outta line, but he's right
nah, steering wheel is
I don't know how playing something like redout 2, screamer or inertial drift would go on a wheel(they all use twin stick driving).
Sim racing is definitely a wheel, but arcade racers are mostly controller for me.
Redout is fun with a flightstick