So weird that only 15% of Steam sessions are using controllers. I thought everyone had a controller. Most games are just better with a gamepad.
59% of controller sessions are using Xbox controllers. Not surprising, but I wonder how many of those Xbox controllers aren't actually Xbox controllers. I use an 8BitDo Pro 2, which uses X-Input on PC. Though the majority of my gaming is done on Deck now.
Most games are better with a mouse and keyboard, from my limited controller experience. Smooth mouse movements, rather than pressing a lever to move the camera rotation in jerky motions which you then have to jerk back because you went too far. Lots of keys on a keyboard mean you can quickly launch a bunch of different menus with a single button press. And some mice have haptic feedback, which would be the main outstanding benefit of a controller.
I find gamepads to be more comfortable than mouse and keyboard, and most modern games are designed such that all of their functions can be performed comfortably on controller. I also tend to play a lot of games that benefit from having an analog stick.
All just preference, of course. Kb/m and gamepads are good at different things.
Very fair. Personally, I think most games made today are designed around gamepads (with the exception of some genres, especially shooters), but even then kb/m does work fine for most games.
So weird that only 15% of Steam sessions are using controllers. I thought everyone had a controller. Most games are just better with a gamepad.
Even if that was true, not all games have the same number of players. Counterstrike and dota 2 regularly top the most played list on steam, and are terrible with a controller. It shouldn't be surprising that most sessions have a kb/m if that's what people are mostly playing.
That's a good point. I did say "most games" because some genres are definitely better on kb/m, but I didn't think about how that's what most Steam users are probably playing.
Surprisingly low.
Those 59% with Xbox controllers probably wouldn't even need to use it, and neither do most of the PS users either as most games would support them natively already.
Though I have to wonder how much of that data is actually accurate - for example my setup would most likely show up as two Xbox controllers, but in reality it's a Dualshock 3 and Dualshock 4 masquerading as Xinput devices through Vigembus and DS4Windows.
12 Comments
PastaRhythm@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 2y
I think that article's headline is incorrect. Valve's article said that 10% of controller sessions are Steam Decks, not 10% of Steam Input sessions. Here's Valve's article: https://steamcommunity.com/games/593110/announcements/detail/4142827237888316812
So weird that only 15% of Steam sessions are using controllers. I thought everyone had a controller. Most games are just better with a gamepad.
59% of controller sessions are using Xbox controllers. Not surprising, but I wonder how many of those Xbox controllers aren't actually Xbox controllers. I use an 8BitDo Pro 2, which uses X-Input on PC. Though the majority of my gaming is done on Deck now.
JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee · 5 pts · 2y
Most games are better with a mouse and keyboard, from my limited controller experience. Smooth mouse movements, rather than pressing a lever to move the camera rotation in jerky motions which you then have to jerk back because you went too far. Lots of keys on a keyboard mean you can quickly launch a bunch of different menus with a single button press. And some mice have haptic feedback, which would be the main outstanding benefit of a controller.
PastaRhythm@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
I find gamepads to be more comfortable than mouse and keyboard, and most modern games are designed such that all of their functions can be performed comfortably on controller. I also tend to play a lot of games that benefit from having an analog stick.
All just preference, of course. Kb/m and gamepads are good at different things.
Weslee@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 2y
Controllers being better is your opinion, and seems like most steam players don't agree.
PastaRhythm@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
Very fair. Personally, I think most games made today are designed around gamepads (with the exception of some genres, especially shooters), but even then kb/m does work fine for most games.
moonburster@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2y
What I also wonder is if it's measured by connected devices. I leave my controller in all the time
sushibowl@feddit.nl · 2 pts · 2y
Even if that was true, not all games have the same number of players. Counterstrike and dota 2 regularly top the most played list on steam, and are terrible with a controller. It shouldn't be surprising that most sessions have a kb/m if that's what people are mostly playing.
PastaRhythm@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
That's a good point. I did say "most games" because some genres are definitely better on kb/m, but I didn't think about how that's what most Steam users are probably playing.
JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyz · 7 pts · 2y
Surprisingly low.
Those 59% with Xbox controllers probably wouldn't even need to use it, and neither do most of the PS users either as most games would support them natively already.
Though I have to wonder how much of that data is actually accurate - for example my setup would most likely show up as two Xbox controllers, but in reality it's a Dualshock 3 and Dualshock 4 masquerading as Xinput devices through Vigembus and DS4Windows.
callouscomic@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 2y
Even with native support, some games have idiotic controls and no remapping. Steams custom controller profiles give me a chance to remedy this.
HouseWolf@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 2y
I've been using it for years just to translate my PS4 controller to Xbox so it works with most games
HUMAN_TRASH@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y