8bitdo Ultimate controllers via 2.4GHz receiver showing as "Steam Virtual Gamepad" AND "8bitdo Ultimate Controller" resulting in dual inputs

[CaptnYesterday]

Hey Deck team, absolutely fantastic work!

Wanted to report a bug regarding the 8bitdo controllers (those that use the low latency 2.4ghz receiver). These are becoming some of the most popular controllers for docked deck play. Specifically the 8bitdo Ultimate and the 8bitdo Ultimate Bluetooth. I'm sure you have the analytics. To be clear this is not an issue when connecting these controllers via Bluetooth or wired. They work just fine since you added support for them. Thanks!!!!

There may be a breaking issue when support was added when using the 2.4 receiver (the preferred connection for low latency. Steam OS (stable and beta) sees 2 controllers for every 1 that is connected via the 2.4 dongle: The normal 'Steam Virtual Gamepad' and then a "8bitdo Ultimate Controller" (or a different name if it is a different controller. Can only suspect that the Controller AND the dongle are being recognized by Steam OS as valid controllers... but they are the same controller.


This results in double inputs on applications that support 2 'players' or more. So you control player 1 and 2 simultaneously because the 1 physical controller gives input for both at the same time.

For example: Retroarch shows 8bitdo ultimate controller AND 'Steam Virtual Gamepad'. Controllers are detected and assigned a player automatically in all games (as it should). No configuration in game can stop this short of going into each game and disabling "Steam Input" and that is exactly what people are doing (see reddit). The problem is that Steam Input is the good input. We are disabling the correct input because there is no way to disable the named input like "8bitdo Ultimate Controller". This causes it's own set of problems.

In single player games it is easy to miss because the 2nd input usually doesn't get picked up by the game. so behavior appears normal.

Can you fix the support for these controllers when using the 2.4 receivers? Wireless multiplayer deck couch co-op is freaking MAGIC! I'm more than willing to help test. I've done it with your Index team before and it was a ton of fun.

Hope to hear back!

*****
Update 12/4/23
This seems to be a problem with any controller using a dongle. As long as the application or game can accept multiple controller inputs (multiplayer or single player) then you will see double inputs.

I will try to collect examples
1. https://steamcommunity.com/app/1369630/discussions/3/3416558383301758025/

[Metastable]

+1 on this issue and appreciate the details in this bug report.

First encountered circa August with the 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth in 2.4 GHz mode trying to play Ender Lilies as reported here[1]; others have observed similar behavior with various controllers as well.

More recently, seeing the same behavior in Shogun Showdown on docked Steam Deck with the same 8BitDo controller, but not on desktop with wired PowerA XBox controller.

[1] https://steamcommunity.com/app/1369630/discussions/3/3416558383301758025/

[CaptnYesterday]

Thanks for linking this in another thread.
It could be an easy fix, but you can't fix something you don't know about. More eyes on the the better.

[Fvsh]

Yes please this bug is so annoying

[CaptnYesterday]

C'mon Valve. I know you guys are super busy with the OLED Deck, but this is an issue that doesn't appear to be solvable on the controller driver, firmware or software side.

The lowest latebcy controller modes (2.4ghz receivers) can't be used for multiplayer games on steam OS without disabling steam input.

[Ch0c0L4t3m1Lk]

i am also having the same problem. when i use a controller with steam deck dock i get double inputs with some games. its maddening since you can only choose every 2nd menu item, or when you make a selection you select the next screens choice as well.

i also experience the gamepad showing up as a 2nd controller in local multiplayer games, usually in port 3. this means if i try to play streets of rage or similar game it thinks i have a controller in port 3 and it takes all the button inputs from the controller for both characters, which seems cool at first to play 2 characters same time in a beat em up but it messings things up, eg, you have to move down screen with one character but makes the other fall in pit. also makes wrestling games impossible since you control multiple characters.

my steam deck is fully updated, im not using official steam deck dock. i have the 8 bitdo ultimate 2.4ghz, connected to 4k tv. this issue has been happening for over 6 months at least. i find it happens in some games and not others. i had been working with assumption that its how certain games handle multi-controller input or something wrong with my dock. i have a 2nd dock im going to try out.

[Ch0c0L4t3m1Lk]

ok i was able to fix this in at least 1 game by going into steam controller settings while in game and turning off steam input, then restarting the game.

also here is another thread about this issue. https://steamcommunity.com/app/1675200/discussions/0/3454842679308632709/

[CaptnYesterday]

Originally posted by Ch0c0L4t3m1Lk:

ok i was able to fix this in at least 1 game by going into steam controller settings while in game and turning off steam input, then restarting the game.

also here is another thread about this issue. https://steamcommunity.com/app/1675200/discussions/0/3454842679308632709/

For sure that is a definite work-around, but disabling steam input is disabling one of Steam OS's greatest advantage over other handhelds. Steam input is what allows all the customized controls and layouts. I use that all the time.

Valve needs to disable the DONGLE from being detected as an unsupported controller. I think they simply overlooked this when adding controller support. An easy mistake to make, unless they tested the 2.4 mode with a multiplayer game (or a single player game where dev's didn't lock down inputs to 1 controller). Probably an easy fix too, but getting Valve to see this issue has been impossible. What a shame.

[RalfKp]

I bought two 8 BitDo Ultimate C 2.4 GHz Controller and a second 8 BitDo USB Adapter just so I don't have to struggle with connecting Bluetooth devices anymore (I often play 4 Player local coop). This issue needs to be fixed.

[eathtespagheti]

Just here to point out a workaround, you can launch a game and prevent it from detecting a specific controller based on the Vendor ID and Device ID, here's an example for the 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth when using the 2.4GHz mode. Just put this in the game launcher options.

SDL_GAMECONTROLLER_IGNORE_DEVICES="0x2dc8/0x3106" %command%

There's a github issue tracking this problem
https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/8132

[CommonMugger]

Reviving this cause it's still an issue 2 years later, which seems wild to me. 8bitdo 2.4 ghz controller is practically useless unless you turn off Steam Input, which kind of blows.

Could we get an update, Valve?

[GlitchedVision0101]

I'm even starting to see this happen to a base raw default xbox 360 controller connected directly over bluetooth with no dongle in between. Some games just don't care where controller inputs come from. Please give us the ability to disable individual controllers instead of disabling steam input. That's like cutting off a leg and using it as a crutch to run a race. Also, this has been an issue for similar controllers on other Linux based devices for longer than the steamdeck has even been a thing.

[jmeloranta]

My experience is that this controller has very limited range, so the usb dongle and the game controller must be fairly close to each other. I have about 6 feet now and no disconnects. I don't have any issues with steam input though.