Microsoft’s Xbox controllers have been the de facto standard for PC gaming for more than a decade, but Sony’s PlayStation controllers also have a ton of fans. In fact, Valve says that a full 27 percent of Steam game sessions with controllers are using PlayStation-branded pads. According to a recent update note, the Steam store itself is going to show the PlayStation controllers some love starting next month.
According to the latest Steam developer notes (spotted by EuroGamer), game makers will be able to explicitly list DualShock (PS4) and DualSense (PS5) controller support in game store listings starting in October. The update will also show search settings that let players query for specific controller brand support between Xbox/DualShock/DualSense, and PlayStation controller support information will appear in players’ game libraries. That’s a boon to anyone who prefers PlayStation layouts, but it has some direct gameplay benefits, too.
Sony’s controller design includes a central laptop-style touchpad that the Xbox controller family lacks, and the PS5 DualSense has some very impressive haptic feedback powers. Developers will now have good reason to bring features supporting that hardware over from multi-platform releases that are also on the PlayStation consoles, like the DualSense trigger support in The Last of Us. That’s not a guarantee that they will bring them over, of course, but players will always have the option to roll their own layouts with Steam’s extensive controller customization settings.
Further reading: The best PC controllers: Recommendations for every gamer
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.