Steam gets official support for Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Valve has announced that the latest Beta of its Steam Client will officially support the Nintendo Switch’s Pro Controller, meaning that the hardware can be configured for use in Steam games as though it was an Xbox controller or Steam controller.
Although one doesn’t come with the console, the Switch’s Pro Controller is the most traditional input method for the console, and uses a layout that’s almost identical to the Xbox 360 controller, which has come to rival the traditional mouse and keyboard for the PC gamer’s control device of choice.
Related: Nintendo Switch
There are a couple of minor differences that prevent it from being a one-to-one replacement however. For one thing, the A and B, and the X and Y face buttons are swapped, which has the potential to get seriously confusing when you’re first starting to play a game.
Much more of a problem is the lack of analogue triggers, which the Pro Controller forgoes in favour of a pair of buttons that are completely digital. This means you can’t half press one of the triggers to moderately accelerate in a racing game, it’s all or nothing.
That said, no one makes a D-pad quite like Nintendo, and the Pro Controller is no exception. There’s just something that makes it feel so clicky and tactile, and neither the current generation of Xbox or PlayStation pads quite match it.
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If you’d like to use the Pro Controller with Steam, then Valve has instructions on how to get it set up. Be warned that for now the functionality is in beta, so you might want to wait for a final release before you commit to making the switch.
What’s your favourite controller for playing PC games? Let us know @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
