Why does Steam flip the A/B and X/Y when I use a Switch Pro controller?

[AsbestosIsPoison]

It happens every time I use the "Steam Input Translation". When I enable it, A becomes B, B becomes A, etc. So I have to flip the around again so that they are in the correct position. Only thing is when I go into the actual game, it flips them around again!

I get that it is trying to translate the controls, but would it not be better to keep it the way it is? I feel more comfortable with them that way, even if the game was not designed for it.

Sorry if this post sounds stupid, it just annoys me that Steam is trying to force me to use the traditional button layout instead of the Nintendo layout. There is an option for it on the Steam Deck, not sure if it is the same on steam.

[Soren]

It's cause the Nintendo controller layout is the opposite of PC and xbox controllers. Steam changes the layout to match what the buttons are labelled on the Switch controller.

[Satoru]

So tehre's a bit of a weirdness there. The A/B and X/Y buttons on the swtich pro are the opposite on the xbox controller

HOWEVER

Most games on PC are designed around Xbox prompts. Meaning if it says "Press A", On your switch controller it will be the "B" button from a physical equivalence perspective

Now of course you could, in theory, have the "press A" be the "Press A" that is on the switch pro. But given most players would be used to the xbox layout, they'd be pressing "B" and wondering 'what the heck is going on'

Steam is basically going "ok we all know you're US players and are trying to emulate an xbox controller, so we're going to map the buttons as if they were the xbox layout".

Also don't htink of it as a 'button name' equivalence thing. Think of how playstation controllers are emulated. They don't have A/B so steam maps them to where players 'expect' the button press to be (yes I know many games now have PS prompts on PC we'll just ignore that).

So its more of trying to provide a consistent player experience across different controllers. Though yes for the switch pro, that does mean it really is confusing in a lot of ways. Its like the Stroop test but for controllers?

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Google search Nintendo switch controller, and Xbox controller look at the button layout, yes talking about the XABY.

Most games on PC goes by Xbox layout for controllers, not many games uses playstation layout, and nearly none of them uses switch controller layout.

Steam emulates playstation and nintendo controllers as XBOX controller.

Game devs have to add playstation, or nintendo switch controller layout into the game, and if they don't that then means you can't switch layout how you wanted, there some games that allows modding to change layout, but again not all games can be modded for layout.