Controllers Now 3x More Popular Among PC Users; 60% Prefer Xbox Controller

Expert Verified By

Steam Users Starting To Prefer Controllers!

Story Highlight
  • Steam has been the best launcher on PC for over 20 years now. 
  • 15% of all users now rely on controllers due to recent advancements in Steam Input and the convenience factor.
  • Controller players have tripled in the span of 6 years, and 60% of them are using Xbox controllers. 

Steam is inarguably the best launcher on PC, and nothing even comes close. This platform has helped PC gaming become even more popular, recently setting a record of 34 million concurrent players in March.

Needless to say, it has a strong standing in the PC gaming market and will continue to reign. The platform has recently shared new data on player preferences, stating that controllers are gaining more popularity as the preferred input device for games.

According to Steam, players are more reliant on controllers than they have ever been.

Why it matters: Controllers let you stay in your comfort zone while playing a game, and you can be more relaxed than playing with a mouse and keyboard combo.

Steam New Report
The Latest Steam Report Has Revealed Statistics On Controller Usage

Valve revealed in a new report that Steam controller usage has risen to 15%, and 60% of those players use Xbox controllers. 26% of the players use PS5 controllers, and only 10% use Steam Deck.

the controller landscape has changed.

-Valve

Valve has also revealed that 42% of controller-using players rely on Steam Input. This figure is understandable, as games often lack support for different types of controllers.

This is where Steam Input comes in. It can be a real lifesaver, especially for those who prefer controllers like the DualShock 4. To no one’s surprise, most players are using the Xbox controller.

This is mainly because PC games rely on the XInput API. Therefore, Xbox controllers are typically supported out of the box across nearly all PC games. Perhaps the most interesting figure here is that controller usage on the platform has grown 3x since 2018.

Steam
Steam Has Been Reigning As The Best Launcher on PC for 20 Years

Despite the recent popularity of controllers, the keyboard and mouse combo is better for certain games. Once you play a first-person shooter with this combo, there really is no going back.

Still, controllers like the DualSense offer unique features, such as Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers, that make them compelling for various titles.

The recent increase in controller usage may indicate that more and more console players are shifting to PCs.

Action adventure titles, Souls-likes, and various other gaming genres work remarkably with controllers, making them the go-to for many players, even if the mouse and keyboard combo remains as iconic as ever.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Gear Up For Latest News

Get exclusive gaming & tech news before it drops. Sign up today!

Join Our Community

Still having issues? Join the Tech4Gamers Forum for expert help and community support!

Latest News

Join Our Community

104,000FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

Indiana Jones Becomes Xbox’s Best-Rated First-Party Title This Year On Steam

Indiana Jones early access has received a lot of positive reception from fans, making it the best-rated Xbox first-party game this year.

KCD Lead Roasts Dragon Age: The Veilguard Over Daily Active Players Comparison

Kingdom Come Deliverance lead has roasted Dragon Age: The Veilguard on Twitter for having fewer active players than his 7-year-old title.

Indiana Jones Surprisingly Runs At Almost Locked 60 FPS On Xbox Series S In Performance Mode

Indiana Jones managed to maintain a locked 60 FPS on the Xbox Series S at around 1080p resolution with sold performance on all platforms.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Already 30% off On Multiple Platforms

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is already available at a 30% discount on various platforms like Xbox, PlayStation, and Amazon.

Ubisoft’s Guillemot Family & Tencent Reportedly Taking The Company Private Amid Flops

Ubisoft faces financial struggles as the Guillemot family and Tencent explore taking the company private to stabilize its future.