PS4 owners will soon be able to use their DualShock 4 controllers on Steam with official API integration. Word arrives via Gamasutra’s transcript of a Steam Dev Days talk that look place yesterday.
During the discussion, it was confirmed that soon “players can pair their PS4 controller directly to their PC and use all the configurability options available to the Steam Controller, including use of the PS4 touchpad and gyro.” In other words, because the Steam Controller and DualShock 4 interface in a similar way, the PS4 controller will be able to use the exact same plugin that allows Valve’s hardware to work.
While the rest of the explanation gets quite technical, we can glean that DualShock 4 compatibility will mean good things for both game players and game creators. First off, since the API runs within Steam, external apps that suck up resources, like DS4Windows, won’t be necessary. Also a DS4Windows drawback, button prompts will seamlessly correlate to whatever remote is attached. That means no more fumbling with on-screen prompts that say “press A” instead of “press X.” The API displays the correct key glyphs so game makers don’t have to manually design them.
Of course, just like the Steam Controller, when DualShock 4 support comes to Steam, it will also be fully customizable as the player sees fit. Developers can add suggested mappings or action sets for various activities, but those can be changed using a unified Steam menu.
The DualShock 4 will be the first in a series of new controller additions because its mainstream support is “a bit weak.” It’s further added that “in this case Steam itself is communicating directly with the device so everything that’s nice and reliable.”
There are a few caveats worth noting here. DualShock 4’s place on PC can only be solidified as much as developers choose to support it. However, given its link to the Steam Controller, that shouldn’t be much of a concern. It’s also expected that players might need the $25 PC wireless adapter to take advantage of Bluetooth connectivity. Regardless, this development is nice for the more than 40 million users that are familiar with the DualShock 4.
Will you use the DualShock 4 with Steam once plug-and-play support arrives? Does the PS4 have the best console controller of the generation? Tell us in the comments section!
