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I expect it to work fine without steam. Nobody is going to invest in a completely propriety comms protocol. it will probably be usbHID and a usb keyboard descriptor(or whatever the bluetooth equivalent is). Instruct your usb attach code to attach it as a game pad and it will work fine.

However, the configuration utility for it is part of steam, it is a highly configurable controller, so much so that it could be argued much of it's utility is lost without this configurator.

by eNV2516 hours ago|

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This is a windows issue, not a hardware issue.

by nerdjon16 hours ago|

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I don't buy that argument completely, nothing would be stoping them from just not bundling the drivers with Steam and also not requiring that I launch games through steam (if that is true).

While we could argue about the state of Windows, Steam also did not have to engineer it this way and the requirement of launching through Steam feels deliberate.

From what I can find, as others have mentioned, the 8BitDo controllers don't require Steam to be running to work. I presume the PS5 controller likely also does not (I will test this later)

by retired15 hours ago|

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On both macOS and Windows I have used borrowed PS4 and 8BitDo controllers and I can confirm that you do not need a Sony/8BitDo user account or any of their software running in the background for the controller to work.

by nerdjon15 hours ago|

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I only tried one game, but I just tried plugging my PS5 controller into my PC and it worked without needing to install anything in Mass Effect Legendary Edition, and Steam is not running so it isn't Steam Input handling it.

My PC may have installed something on its own, but I did not.

However I don't have an issue if there is a driver, the requirement of Steam running and apparently launching the game through steam is the issue here.

Edit:

I just realized I completely missed the not in your message:

> I can confirm that you do not need a Sony/8BitDo user account or any of their software running in the background for the controller to work.

so I guess my reply was not necessary, I need more coffee...

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by ux26647816 hours ago|

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It's a specific Windows issue too, and not unique to the steam controller. Xinput doesn't work with generic USB controllers, because you know, Microsoft. Hence why you need cope software for Sony controllers.

Valve does deserve criticism for the royal pain certain things are though. For example non-technical users will absolutely struggle to get Proton working without Steam, the process in doing so is purposefully kept undocumented and esoteric. There's 100% a little bit of undesirable obfuscation Valve does to push you towards just using Steam to run their OSS. It's definitely non-Free in the purist sense.