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Playing games on the Steam Deck is unlike any other experience, and a big reason is Steam Input. This feature has made it extremely easy to enjoy games that don't offer controller support, by allowing us to assign keyboard inputs to the controller, or just give us an in-depth way to easily customize our controller experience. It is phenomenal, and today, Valve has released an update showing some nice statistics for the feature, including how many people are using it with a Steam Deck.

EmuDeck21AutoSteamInput

At the beginning of the article, Valve mentioned that daily controller use has jumped to 15% from around 5% since 2018, and that around 42% of these sessions use Steam Input. From there, we have a breakdown that:

  • 59% of sessions are using Xbox controllers
  • 26% are using PlayStation controllers
  • 10% are on Steam Decks

With how many controllers are now being used on Steam, a feature like Steam Input is imperative to make every game as accessible as possible, and it works exceptionally well! The team then goes over the ways they have improved the feature, allowing us to expand the way we use our controllers in a game with:

  • Gyro Aiming
  • Virtual Menus
  • A Better Configurator

And this was made better with the new Big Picture mode, and PlayStation/Xbox controller support. They have even worked with the Hori team to add direct Steam Input support for the new Hori controller for Steam, which is incredible.

HoriSteamController

We are definitely looking forward to seeing how Steam Input will develop into the future and can't wait for this Hori controller!

If you enjoyed this article, check out the rest of the content on SteamDeckHQ! We have a wide variety of game reviews and news that will help your gaming experience. Whether you're looking for news, tips and tutorials, game settings and reviews, or just want to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, we've got you covered!

Noah Kupetsky
A lover of gaming since 4, Noah has grown up with a love and passion for the industry. From there, he started to travel a lot and develop a joy for handheld and PC gaming. When the Steam Deck released, it just all clicked.
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