Controller Firmware Support: SteamOS vs Windows

I had two very different experiences using two different controllers.

TL;DR

SteamOS and all the hardware that Valve has created makes a great ecosystem for gaming. You can bring what you want and it either works right away or is easy enough to get up and running.

Windows is becoming more of a walled garden that is unpleasant and exclusive.

Steam Hardware Personal History

Let’s talk about the Steam Controller.

No, not that Steam Controller.

This Steam Controller (2015).

I am a sucker bespoke hardware.

I was excited when Valve was making moves into the hardware space in the mid 2010s. The OG Steam Machines, Steam Link, and Steam Controller.

But I was not excited enough to actually buy of those things when they came out. The latter two pieces of hardware were eventually discounted heavily and I snagged them (and they became mothballed by Valve).

I purchased the Steam Link in 2017 for $15.00.

I used intermittently when I built my gaming pc back in 2015/2016 to stream down to the TV. It worked great and actually installed the Steam Link app on a Raspberry Pi too. Valve released the software and now you can just use it for streaming.

Then I purchased the Steam Controller in 2019 for $5 (plus around $10 for shipping).

Honestly, the Steam Controller (2015) is not great. It is not very comfortable and it feels weird overall. The track pad is not the refined track pad of the Steam Deck.

Honestly, after my first couple of times using it, I tossed it into the big bin of random hardware.

I later became a huge fan of the Steam Deck, picking one up in April of 2022.

The New Use Case

My partner and I have been playing some mystery games, specifically Return of the Obra Dinn and Case of the Golden Idol. These games are amazing couch coop games. One person needs to “drive” the game while also both of you discuss theories of the different mysteries on screen.

The set up is to plug my Steam Deck into the TV and play sitting next to each other on the couch.

I have a JSAUX Steam Deck Dock plugged into our TV. This dock works pretty well! It is nice to be able to set my Steam Deck down in a specific place while it charges and the dock does a fine job with the TV display.

Despite having a bunch of Xbox controllers laying around, they have not been helpful with couch mystery coop.

We have exclusively been using the 2015 Steam Deck Controller (and even using some of its gyro controls).

It just worked right away when I plugged in the USB dongle into the dock.

The Xbox One controller has been a nightmare.

Xbox Hardware Insanity

I tried to get my Xbox One controller working on my Steam Deck via bluetooth.

It connected but then disconnected immediately, ping-ponging back and forth. This is a known issue with a resolution. I needed to update the firmware on the controller.

Apparently to update this controller, I need to use the Xbox Accessories App on Windows.

I built a gaming PC years ago and it is the only Windows device I own still. It is in storage. I went ahead and dusted it off and booted it up.

I installed the Xbox Accessories App.

However, I am still running Windows 10 (shame on me, but I never boot the thing up).

The Xbox Accessories App does not work on Windows 10 any longer, it only works on Windows 11.

I tried to find the firmware package to do the install somehow myself, but I could not figure out a work around.

So to update the firmware on my Xbox One controller, I need to update to Windows 11 in order to run the firmware update.

But I don’t want to update my Windows gaming PC (even if the upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 seems to be free). Time is too precious to babysit a Windows update just to use a controller.

Compare this to the plug and play experience I had with the Steam Deck Controller from 2015. And Valve’s continued open source software support.

I am less and less inclined to invest in these walled gardens, like Microsoft and Apple. If I own the hardware, I should be able to use it and maintain myself with the software I want on it (or firmware). I am wary of what Valve could become, but they keep releasing things the right way.

I’m not sure how cogent of a thought that is, but I know I am frustrated and just want to play my mysteries.