I’ve got a small backlog of games on my laptop (running Arch Linux with KDE) through Lutris. I usually play with a keyboard and a mouse, but since I sit pretty close to my screen (ik bad habit), it starts getting uncomfortable after a while. So I’ve been thinking about picking up a gamepad for some more relaxed, couch style gaming.
I’ve never actually owned a gamepad or a console before, so this would be my first time. From what I’ve seen on Reddit, a lot of people seem to have good experiences using Xbox controllers on Linux. I just wanted to get some more insight before buying one to make sure I’m making the right choice.
I’m also planning to grab a second controller so my girlfriend and I can play some local multiplayer games together.
Update: I went with 8BitDo Ultimate C wired as it was cheaper and a lot of folks below suggested it over the original Xbox Controller. It worked out of the box. I have only tested it with Marvel’s Spiderman 2 from Fitgirl repacks installed and running via Lutris. Worked w/o any issues.
Yeah, Xbox controllers are pretty much standard. Comfortable, not overpriced, great compatibility with everything, no fuss. Newer ones, from the past several years now, will have Nintendo-style d pads, now that the patent has expired, and connect via bluetooth for wireless play or with a USB C cable to save on batteries. Speaking of batteries, it uses AAs, which means that you can actually swap them when they get low, as opposed to PlayStation controllers where batteries don’t last long and they aren’t really exposed for you to access them. I’m not going to tell you Xbox controllers are the be-all, end-all, but there’s a high chance it’s all you need.
EDIT: Even though I use Xbox controllers all the time, I forgot that the newest Xbox pads actually have d pads that are even better than Nintendo’s design. They look funky, but for my money, it’s the best d pad out there.
I tried out Linux a few months back, and one of the things I could never get working was my Bluetooth Xbox controller. The controller would just blink and never connect to the Bluetooth. Any idea what needs to be done to get it working? I was kind of annoyed that it didn’t just work since it’s such a popular controller.
As a veteran of gaming on Linux for several years, I have to admit I keep a small collection of various usb bluetooth dongles, because honestly, built-in bluetooth support still remains questionable and unreliable in many cases, at least for me and the systems I use it on. I don’t necessarily blame Linux as much as I blame the manufacturers of the chips and devices, but unfortunately we have to live with the chaos that their reverse-engineered-firmware-reliant devices create. Any cheapass bluetooth dongle is probably fine, the cheaper and more ubiquitous it is, the more likely it uses the same shitty chinese chip that all the others use and that a bunch of someones already hammered out drivers for, but honestly even with multiple different models and brands it still seems like a crapshoot which one feels like working properly at any given time, but usually one or the other will work and get things to connect, and it’s usually perfectly reliable once all the drivers have loaded and it’s all paired up and things start working. The struggle is real, though.
Not me, sorry. On desktop Linux, I’m always wired, and the bluetooth always just worked when I needed it on Bazzite or Steam Deck, connecting via the controller setup in the Steam menu, but maybe someone else here will know.
Idk if it’s the solution to your problem but I install xpadneo and never have issues.
Xone is the one I’ve needed instead of xpadneo to get the xbox wired headset working with them.
Xone I use with the official xbox wireless controller adapter but xpadneo for Bluetooth Xbox connections.
My favourite 3rd party controller, which according to this article is compatible with Linux: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/05/the-8bitdo-ultimate-2-wireless-controller-is-a-top-premium-feeling-controller/
can second 8BitDo, their stuff is awesome
for 2D games (or games that are played with a d-pad rather), their Pro line is also very good! i have the Pro 2, and it works fantastic with Linux. idk about the Pro 3 but i can’t imagine it would be much different, and i heard the d-pad on that one is even better
Third. I swear by them (and got their keyboard too, in Family Basic colors, and mouse in NES colors).
The moment they put out a keyboard in Atomic Purple, I’m throwing a bunch more money at them.
Sony’s DualShock 4 and DualSense controllers are plug & play on Linux. (IIRC, Sony contributed native drivers.) They work nicely over USB or Bluetooth. Their motion controls are great if you ever play certain console emulators or want to map them to mouse-like movement in Steam Input. (I use this for free look in flight sims.) The built-in touchpad is nice for navigating menus on PC games without having to reach for the mouse. I think they also support headphones, which might be handy when playing while others in the house are sleeping, but I haven’t tried that feature.
Edit:
Also, the analog stick dead zones are nice and small, which can be helpful in some games. They are traditional potentiometer-based Alps sticks, but mine have not developed stick drift in half a decade of use. (Perhaps because I keep my controllers clean and never throw them across the room.) If they ever do start to drift, I can calibrate them in Linux.
Some people prefer sticks with Hall effect sensors for their resistance to stick drift. I like the idea, but those also consume more power, affecting battery life. Some day, perhaps tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) sensors will be used in more game controllers and retrofit sticks. Those seem to offer the best of both worlds: low power consumption and drift resistance. Since stick drift hasn’t been a problem for me anyway, I’m happy to stay with Sony controllers and all their nice features for now.
Edit 2:
Well, look at that: Valve is using TMR sensors in their upcoming Steam Controller.
Dualsense controllers are likely the best controllers you can buy for PC gaming.
Fully supported feature set, including microvibrations the pressure triggers and even the mic and speaker. The touch pad is a god send for PC gaming too.
DualSense are just the best controllers out there, in terms of features, period.
I think I prefer the feel and layout of XBone controller though
I have lots of different controllers, and have had even more through the years. My personal recommendation is the 8BitDo Ultimate 2, should be plug and play either on wired, wireless or Bluetooth on most modern distros, comes with a stand for charging so you never have the issue of picking the controller and being out of batteries, has Hall-Effect track pads so you won’t get drift with time, has 2 extra back buttons which are configurable on steam. Plus specifically against each other major controller:
Pros over Xbox controllers:
- No need to install any driver
- Batteries included
Pros over Playstation controllers:
- Most games show ABXY glyphs
Thanks. Unfortunately this one’s on the expensive side and I am not a hardcore gamer. I think I will go with the ultimate C wired as it is in my budget as well as seems to work with Linux (atleast via steam; got mixed reviews with Lutris from some folks in the comments).
Fair enough, the ultimate 2 is the same price as the Xbox and Playstation, so I guess those are also outside your range. The ultimate 2C wireless is only $5 more than the wired, I think that’s a good benefit for that price difference, but even the wired should be good since 8BitDo does good hardware.
The ultimate 2 is over 100$ more expensive than the ultimate c wired and 50$ more than the official Xbox one. (All of this in rough ₹ to $ conversion) Interestingly, I just searched Amazon and I had to scroll down quite a bit to find the 2c wireless which is actually cheaper than Ultimate C wired (at 81% discount like wtf?!), so now I might go for that one. Thanks.
Edit: Sorry that 2C was just for the Nintento Switch. The reviews mentioned it didn’t support PCs. So now the actual 2c is 20$ more expensive than the Xbox. Now I am confused to put in the extra and go for the ultimate 2 lol.
Not sure how the prices are in your location, but these are the rough prices here in Europe that I had in mind when replying to you, I assumed the relative prices would be similar in your location, apparently I was wrong:
- 8BitDo Ultimate 2: €60 https://amzn.eu/d/56fZr1E
- PS5 controller: €75 https://amzn.eu/d/0yjVEDP
- Xbox controller: € 65 https://amzn.eu/d/7w1Q3Ib
- 8BitDo Ultimate 2C: €35 https://amzn.eu/d/43BPDAh
- 8BitDo Ultimate Wired: €31 https://amzn.eu/d/4PLthC1
I love my 8Bitdo Ultimate controller. It’s comfortable to use and holds a decent charge. Having a charging stand is really useful too. If you have multiple non-PC devices, I would recommend getting the Pro version so that you can use Bluetooth. Otherwise, the USB one will work well.
Only other minor negative is that the d-pad is a little mushy so I will occasionally hit the wrong direction accidentally. So not the greatest for fighting games.
If you don’t need the charging stand, there are cheaper USB only controllers too.
Lastly, if you want to try to improve your posture, my family bought some chair restraint straps for my grandma who kept tilting in her chair. The ones I linked aren’t what we got her but they were the cheapest I could find. You may also want to get your eyes checked. Could be the reason you’re leaning forwards so much is because you can’t see as clearly as you think.
I have been using my Sony DS4 gamepad (wired) with no issues, requires no setup. DS5 gamepads also work well, but I had extra DS4 controllers just sitting around. I greatly prefer them to any of the Xbox gamepad personally.
I will forever swear by the 8BitDo Pro 2
hey here’s a post about the 11/11 sale, several controllers are listed. Gamesir nova lite for $13 looks like a good deal to me.
https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxXw1mUwS-ZNHz22lKG4b8IC2DafU3xIFV
The regular PS4 controller works fine. Works well in steam, lutris, retroarch and the few native games I own, never had any (unsolvable) problems with it.
Do you have issues using it wirleessly ? I do
I’ve got it working but, unfortunately, when wireless the controller has unacceptable input lag. Might be something interfering with the bluetooth signal, I don’t know.
Ah. I have never had lag, but the constant disconnecting and having to manually reconnect sucks.
I use an XBone controller and it worked without having to tweak or change anything. Pretty comfortable for bigger hands too.
Same, worked with no hassle, and very comfy controller for me.
Most people here are recommending controllers with the Xbox layout. They are correct in most cases.
However, if you’re a weirdo like me that mostly plays 2D games, I highly recommend getting a Sony DS5 instead as the Dpad is in a far more ergonomic position for that.
I’ve used xbox 360 controllers forever, works great and doesn’t rely on batteries. And the cable is very long, will definitely solve your monitor issue.
8bitdos work great. I got several, most happy with the Pro 2. The only downside is that they stopped supporting firmware updates in Linux, so you have to use a VM with Windows and USB passthrough to update the pad.
Xbox controllers need a Windows PC to update their drivers.
And how often do you need to update a controller’s drivers?
It could be right out of the box. Happened to me with 2 controllers.
Refund that trash.
I never updated my controller even once, and it never had any software issues whatsoever.
Need is a very strong word, I’ve had Xbox controllers for years that have never seen a Windows PC.
Yeah I dunno about all that.
2d/3d: I want to keep both thumbs on the sticks for 3d so I prefer a controller like this 3rd party Xbox with back buttons and extra shoulder buttons
Fighting: leverless is a lot of fun, I have a slab mini and a junk food micro lite I prefer the micro it’s way lighter
