Starfield on PC: controller disconnects intermittently

[lucifer.yellow]

RESOLVED, BUT FOR AN EFFECTIVE DRIVER UPDATE: Turns out Starfield isn't the problem, it was my controller: 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller with Charging Dock, connected wirelessly via 2.4 GHz to Windows 11 X-input (latest firmware: controller 1.05, USB adapter 1.06). Evidently, this is a long-standing problem with a variety of 8BitDo controllers, their awesomeness notwithstanding. Worse, the problem is completely unpredictable and has resisted remedy through several versions of firmware updates. Possible fixes:

1. This didn't solve my problem: Some believe the problem lies with the controller's mode button for switching between 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth, which becomes loose and thereby causes intermittent disconnections.

2. SOLVED, MOSTLY: I switched the controller's mode from 2.4 GHz to Bluetooth, which 8BitDo designed so that the controller presents as a Nintendo Switch controller. The Bluetooth connection is nice and stable! Since the controller appears as a Switch controller (to Steam anyway), I remapped the 8BitDo's buttons as an Xbox controller both with 8BitDo's Ultimate app (didn't seem to apply in Starfield) and in Steam, which worked in Starfield.

Essentially, the 8BitDo's 2.4 GHz USB dongle for X-input in Windows is unpredictably buggy and has been for at least 1-2 years. Too bad for those hoping to use the 8BitDo Ultimate Controller as an Xbox controller since 2.4 GHz is the only way the 8BitDo controller presents as an Xbox controller to Steam in Windows, which was a design choice by 8BitDo.

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Been trying to play Starfield for several days: updated to latest patch; launched with PC Steam; lightly modded, including DLSS 3 mod; Ryzen 9 5900X & GTX 4070. My controller is an 8BitDo Ultimate BT running as an Xbox controller. My controller runs perfectly fine until it disconnects intermittently, whether wireless or wired. Interestingly, when the controller disconnects, it powers off completely, but Starfield keeps running, at which point I restart the controller. Also, the frequency of disconnection increases the longer I play the game.

If it matters, Starfield is installed in my F drive.

My controller continues to work perfectly in all other Steam games. I've troubleshooted, including disabling/enabling Steam input; updating the controller firmware; unplugging all other USB devices and booting Windows then the game; turned down some graphics settings. I haven't tried starting Starfield directly, without the Steam launcher, but only because I thought that this must be a bug in Starfield, which is unplayable during combat and space flight. Here's to hoping that a patch will soon fix this problem.

Anybody else facing this problem?

[FRESHBVKED]

Do you have razer synapse? I had a similar issue with all my usbs disconnecting, but once i closed synapse it stopped

[lucifer.yellow]

Did you do that to solve the problem in Skyrim, or generally?

[AoD_lexandro]

Check your power settings. You may have it set to suspend USB ports causing the controller to lose power.

[Seaspite]

Originally posted by AoD_lexandro:

Check your power settings. You may have it set to suspend USB ports causing the controller to lose power.

This is likely the solution.

[lucifer.yellow]

Thanks, all! The problem has not improved. I tried shutting down Synapse and disabling USB power saving, but no good. Hoping that today's patch brings relief.