Steam’s latest update adds support for Nintendo’s classic controllers that it makes for Nintendo Switch. While Valve’s patch notes are somewhat vague — “Added support for Nintendo Online classic controllers” — the change means Steam now supports the Switch-specific NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, and Sega Genesis controllers, Valve spokesperson Kaci Aitchison Boyle confirmed to The Verge.
If you want to pick up one of those controllers to use with Steam, you should know that you can only purchase them if you’re a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber. You can grab the NES and SNES controllers right now, but the N64 and Genesis controllers are currently out of stock. Nintendo’s website doesn’t indicate when they might be available again, but when they are, you’re going to want to jump on them quickly.
Fighting game fans might be happy to hear that Qanba’s Obsidian and Dragon Arcade joysticks and Hori’s Fighting Stick Mini 4 are now supported in Steam as well. And Valve has made some improvements in how Steam supports Sony’s DualSense controller: on Windows, you’ll be able to see a firmware update dialog (which follows the release of Sony’s official DualSense firmware updater app for PC), and controllers with updated firmware will have “improved rumble emulation” enabled.
Update July 27th, 8:10PM ET: Added confirmation from Valve about which Nintendo controllers are supported.
ShrekuLater on July 28th, 2022 at 17:46 UTC »
Steam is love, steam is life. Thank you gabe tips massively stylish fedora
Agret on July 28th, 2022 at 13:32 UTC »
What a confusing title. Steam supports Nintendo's classic controllers to run Switch Online on the Steam deck? To run Nintendo Online through streaming?
A much more clear title would be
Classic Nintendo Controllers re-released for Switch Online are now supported by Steam
LolcatP on July 28th, 2022 at 12:05 UTC »
Now if only I could find them for RRP. Stupid scalpers