Steam Input remains in desktop mode instead of switching to gamepad mode when running some apps.

[ClaudeLib]

Your system information

• Steam client version (build number or date): 1708985249

• Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Arch

• Opted into Steam client beta?: No

• Have you checked for system updates?: Yes

• Steam Logs: steam-logs.tar.gz

• GPU: AMD

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

When running certain apps, notably flatpaks but not only them, my Steam Controller keeps emulating keyboard and mouse instead of the virtual gamepad. This was not an issue before the yesterday's update. The affected apps are:

PCSX2, installed from https://flathub.org/apps/net.pcsx2.PCSX2

https://i.imgur.com/I3GHF0c.png https://i.imgur.com/0Z5F3EU.png https://i.imgur.com/PXXb8vo.png

Ryujinx, installed from https://flathub.org/apps/org.ryujinx.Ryujinx

https://i.imgur.com/M1dgepO.png https://i.imgur.com/Vblrlqt.png https://i.imgur.com/aNfZGup.png https://i.imgur.com/SOsHRSz.png

Ryujinx, installed from https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/ryujinx-bin

https://i.imgur.com/TIMUvNC.png https://i.imgur.com/zpYFsFE.png https://i.imgur.com/OJS0ZpC.png

Toggling "Use Desktop Configuration in Launcher" doesn't do anything.

Some other apps, like https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/pcsx2-latest-bin, or Xenia emulator running via Proton are not affected.
I've also encountered this exact same issue on my LCDeck, it also started happening just yesterday, however running apps from the game mode, rather than desktop mode, seems to help avoid the issue. I can attach logs a bit later if needed.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

1. Add third party apps as Non-Steam games to the library
2. Launch them via Steam

[ClaudeLib]

The issue still persists on my Deck, after installing the update that dropped an hour ago.

• Steam client version (build number or date): 1709168962
• Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): SteamOS
• Opted into Steam client beta?: No
• Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
• Steam Logs: steam-logs.tar.gz
• GPU: AMD

It also affects both Steam Controller (gordon) and Steam Deck builtin controls (neptune).

As a test, I added Ark (the KDE Archiving tool) to Steam and when I launch it, Steam Input seems to switch to gamepad mode just fine, as in, the right touchpad (or right stick) doesn't move the mouse around.
https://i.imgur.com/XtYuJ0I.png

However, when launching PPSSPP (https://flathub.org/apps/org.ppsspp.PPSSPP), it still emulates the desktop controls.
https://i.imgur.com/8iMAN7E.png

EDIT: It does not seem to affect games installed from Steam, only some third party ones.

[prodbyloti]

happening to me too. mainly an issue for me rn bc it breaks Moonlight, the button combo to close it doesnt work. started after the newest update.

[prodbyloti]

still not fixed after the newest update

[Lazorne]

I can confirm this is happening on both the Steam Flatpak version and Native in Fedora as well when running any none Steam Apps via Steam.

I have also tried to disable both Steam Input on the Game and on Desktop and vice versa.

Even sometimes I get a weird behavior when both profiles are used in the same time and sends dual inputs, but even then if I turn of the Desktop Profile it stops the game profile from working.

I have tried even to load a game profile as a Desktop profile, without any success.

Our controller profiles:

https://github.com/XargonWan/RetroDECK/tree/cooker-0.8.0b/emu-configs/defaults/retrodeck/controller_configs

[prodbyloti]

i have a feeling that Valve wont do anything since its affecting such a small amount of people. really wish there was an official way to roll back farther.

[Porkch0p]

I'm seeing this regression with an LCD Steam Deck running RetroArch (flatpak) installed via Emudeck.

On Desktop, controls that were previously a gamepad layout (both internal controls and a wired gamepad) are now acting as the desktop profile after the client update of Feb 27.

The regression may not be limited to Desktop mode. In Game Mode, I'm finding the app will load with the correct mappings, but changing the brightness level via chord (Three Dot + Joystick Up) is enough to break the controls in the same way, silently changing application inputs to desktop profile.

After some testing, the behavior appears different in Game Mode if the Steam button has been pressed. With an overlay active, the gamepad profile of the running application does not appear to be lost.

[Aepoh]

I am also experiencing this on my Steam Deck with Dolphin. This is a high priority fix to me.

[ClaudeLib]

It also happens on LMDE, based on Debian.

Your system information

• Steam client version (build number or date): 1709168962
• Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Linux Mint Debian Edition
• Opted into Steam client beta?: No
• Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
• Steam Logs: steam-logs.tar.gz
• GPU: AMD

yuzu installed from Flathub (https://flathub.org/apps/org.yuzu_emu.yuzu) does have this issue.

yuzu installed from Debian (https://debian.pkgs.org/12/debian-main-amd64/yuzu_0-1335+ds-1+deb12u1_amd64.deb.html) does not, Steam Input switches to gamepad emulation just fine and I'm able to configure the controls in the app's settings.

As a test I tried adding Text Editor and Archive Manager as non-Steam games and they also seem to have this issue, despite not being flatpaks.

[ClaudeLib]

The issue is still there as of build 1709846872.

[ClaudeLib]

Build 1710458266, the issue is still present.

[Aepoh]

Can confirm the issue is still present and still irritating.