this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2026
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Steam Hardware

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A place to discuss and support all Steam Hardware, including Steam Deck, Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and SteamOS in general.

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[–] thingsiplay@lemmy.ml 41 points 1 week ago

Even though I barely ever connect controllers to my Steam Deck (I love a portable!) it’s nice to have the option to do so

It's not just the option to have alternative controllers. But also needed if you want to play local multiplayer or anything in docked mode.

[–] PieMePlenty@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago (2 children)

So no support for Xbox one controller dongle (non Bluetooth controller). At this point, I guess they'll never add it, even though steam link hardware had it...
Its an old controller now, but my philosophy is still to use the hardware you have instead of buying new ones. Ah well.

[–] Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz 11 points 1 week ago (3 children)

You can add support for it manually by installing the xone driver (Tutorial here), but it involves unlocking the file system and will have to be repeated after any steamOS updates. Not really ideal, would be very nice if Valve could include it.

[–] julianwgs@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 1 week ago

Upstream it into the kernel. Open source usually revolves around everyone solving their own problems (being selfish according to GKH), but everyone else profiting from it as well.

[–] kugmo@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The repo is outdated, there's a new fork that should be used.

[–] Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] kugmo@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 days ago

Yes that is the one to use

[–] PieMePlenty@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I did it a few times, then got tired of doing it after every update. My hope was always Valve adding it to the system themselves.

[–] Eeyore_Syndrome@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz 2 points 6 days ago

Another win for Bazzite

[–] greybeard@feddit.online 6 points 1 week ago

Blame Microsoft for repurposing a wifi dongle as a controller interface, and using an at-runtime firmware override for switching it to controller mode.

[–] nile@troet.cafe 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

@Fubarberry still waiting for the switch 2 joycons working on steam deck. :o

[–] Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

We can hope. Doesn't seem like anyone has switch 2 joycons working on linux yet, but hopefully once someone figures it out Valve will add it.

[–] nile@troet.cafe 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

@Fubarberry I mean the joycons 2 are not that different from the switch 1 joycons right? and the old joycons work :)

[–] Dionysus@leminal.space 3 points 1 week ago

Yup, themselves are backwards compatible but still not exactly the same protocol.

Going to take a good minute to get this one imo.