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.
Kinda surprised by all the trouble folks have had with Xbox controllers, my experience has been smooth as on any console
I do have quite a few different controllers, all work fine on linux for me:
- Xbox One controllers (newer models, older ones don’t support bluetooth)
- 8bitdo SN30 Pro 2
- Gulikit KK3 Pro
- Steam Controller
- Google Stadia
The Stadia Controller is not my favourite, but it still works well. I mainly use the Gulikit and 8bitdo ones, depending on the game and wether my main input is meant to be d-pad or left joystick.
The Steam Controller is unique, but I rarely use it.
Bonus points for the 8bitdo Pro 2, the Steam Controller and the Xbox Controllers using AA batteries instead of relying on built in, proprietary rechargable batteries. Pair them with some good IKEA Ladda rechargables and they are awesome.The Xbox controllers don’t have built-in chrager circuit, so a separate charger is needed, which is quite inconvenient. Do the others have that?
The Stadia Controller and the Gullikit KK3 Series have built in batteries and therefore come with their own charging circuit.
The Steam Controller does not charge the batteries, you have to use an external AA charger
The 8bitdo Pro 2 comes with a rechargable battery pack that sits in the AA compartment of the controller (similar to the old xbox 360 play-and-charge kits) and can be charged via USB. I don’t know if that charge function is limited to their battery pack, or if it will work with AA rechargables as well. My guess is, though, that it doesn’t, because it would have to somehow identify if the cells are actually rechargable, or if they are just alkaline batteries - trying to charge alkalines can be dangerous.
Allthough persoanlly, I consider using an external AA charger a convenience.
Thanks.
Allthough persoanlly, I consider using an external AA charger a convenience.
I guess it is if you already have a charger and a few more use cases for separate batteries.
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.
I have an 8bitdo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth (so the switch version) and it works well. I had to add the line manually to the SDL DB, as I was using the beta firmware. Default firmware works out of the box.
I’d suggest the Ultimate 2 Wireless instead as it should have full SteamInput support.
I couldn’t get the customization and update app to work under wine. It’s not a huge issue, but if you want that functionality you need to boot into windows.
Xbox Series X controller works out of the box on USB. Haven’t tried Bluetooth, but I couldn’t get the proprietary wireless dongle to work (it should work with the xone driver)
Xbox controllers need a Windows PC to update their drivers.
Yeah I dunno about all that.
Need is a very strong word, I’ve had Xbox controllers for years that have never seen a Windows PC.
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.
I’ve been using an Xbox pro controller for a while on my Mint setup, just plugged in. I can’t get the Bluetooth to connect and I assume it’s because I need to update the drivers for the controller via Windows. 🤷 Whatever.
But my controller bit the dust somewhat recently, so I grabbed a PS5 controller this time and it works right out of the box, no issue. I haven’t tried the Bluetooth to be honest because I’m so used to playing plugged in, but meh. The little trackpad thing on the PlayStation controller also works well as a mouse trackpad when I’m far away from my PC (like if I have it running in the living room instead of at a desk).
Re: xbox
You need drivers for it.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Gamepad#Xbox_Wireless_Controller_/_Xbox_One_Wireless_Controller
While the package names and how to install them will be different since you’re on mint, this section in the Arch wiki discusses your options for Xbox controllers.
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.
Love the DS4s. I’m not a fan of the asymmetric analogs of other controllers, though I will tolerate them.
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
Haptic vibrations aren’t supported over Bluetooth and aren’t supported in all games when using Proton even though it works correctly on Windows.
Xbox controller is the right choice.
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 don’t think there’s much difference. Any standard USB gamepad should work equally fine. I find the Xbox layout more comfortable than the PlayStation one, but this may be different for different people.
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/
This is also my recommendation.
Even if you don’t care about any of the extra features, the fact that you get TMR Sticks, a charging dock and 2.4g dongle included makes it a better purchase than any Xbox controllercan 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.
I would recommend grabbing a third party controller since for some reason ($$$), none of the big three consoles make first party controllers with hall effect sticks. Search on Amazon for “Xbox hall effect controller” and 99% of the results will work fine. Off the top of my head, I know 8BitDo and GameSir are reputable brands
I have a couple Beitong Asura 2 Pro+s with hall effect sensors. They work great and haven’t worn out like the litany of xbox and ds4 controllers that preceded them.
I love ps4 controllers and they are cheap. They work great wired, and they work ok over bluetooth but not great in linux.
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.
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.
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.
For what it’s worth, this wired alternative is almost identical to an xbox one controller except for the rumble motor, which is markedly lower quality. If that doesn’t bother you, it’s also less than half the price, and works out of the box in all distros I’ve tried.
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.
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.
