Valve released a new Steam Deck Beta update that includes a useful tweak to its Xbox controller detection.
There’s a bit of a problem with modern Xbox controllers and Bluetooth, where they won’t properly connect up with SteamOS / Linux unless they’ve gone through a firmware update. I’ve seen a lot of support requests about this issue over the years and so it’s good to see Valve highlight it directly. While it’s a Steam Deck Beta Client update, it should apply to other SteamOS devices too.
I have NEVER heard of any controller before this current generation needing firmware upgrades.
Even the launch model PS4 controller I use on my PC never asked for an update and still works fine…
That’s on you. I updated the firmware on a Logitech gamepad in like 2006.
I updated my EOL’d Stadia controller to get bluetooth support and it works fine with the deck. The Luna controller also works well with the deck and has an android app that can update the firmware.
Even the PS3 controller received firmware updates. This isn’t all that new.
I mainly played on PS3 for years from release and that was never a thing…
The console got plenty of updates but never the controller.
Controller updates were performed during system updates, or could be done manually from the settings iirc. I mention it because I mainly played on PS3 for years too and definitely remember updating those controllers.
I don’t think any of the updates were ever mandatory though.
I believe they did it when you updated the regular ps3 firmware it was like an all in one thing.
Have you ever used that PS4 controller on a PS4? If you did the console would definitely ask you to plug the controller in with a USB cable to update it.
Yeah my OG xbone controllers got numerous firmware updates.
Ngl I only played the PS4 for about a month to play Bloodborne before I gave it to my brother. I just kept one of the controllers.
I’m almost entirely sure that PS4 and XOne controllers did get upgrades at some points. Definitely Switch 1 ones, which matters or not depending on how you split the gens. There were definitely revisions in older controllers, though. Some were labeled and had obvious new features, some were quieter. And PC-side drivers got updates all the time, obviously.
Also, your current gen controller will also keep working indefinitely without an update. In this case Valve is annoyed about a particular dependency where THEY need the upgrade to happen for a feature compatibility thing, but the controller proper will work if you plug it in.
Same here, been using Xbox series controllers on Linux for about 2 years, no problem. Never bothered to update the firmware.
I’ve run out of mouse clicks for the month!
Quest, Pico and I assume other VR controllers have been getting updates for years.