Linux 7.3 Merges Initial Kernel Driver Support For The 2026 Steam Controller
Back in May the new Steam Controller began shipping and was obviously supported from-launch under Steam with all major platforms. Following that the SDL library added Steam Controller support for use outside of Steam, similar to the original Steam Controller support.
Introduced back in 2018 meanwhile was a Steam Controller kernel driver for Linux for use as a conventional HID driver outside of software depending upon the Steam runtime or SDL. That driver is now extended for supporting the new Steam Controller.
Vicki Pfau worked on the patches to modernize the hid-steam controller driver and supporting the 2026 controller so it's at parity to the level of support found with the original 2015 model with this kernel driver. All that work is now present in mainline Linux 7.3.
Vicki also addressed a long standing gap in the native driver for the original Steam Controller over the sensor support.
The HID pull for Linux 7.3 also landed a HID-HyperX driver for the microphone mute status on the HyperX QuadCast 2 USB gaming microphone.
Also notable for the HID subsystem in Linux 7.3 is the new MSI Claw Gamepad driver.
Over on the Logitech device side is HID++ 2.0 reprogrammable button support.
The AMD Sensor Fusion Hub (SFH) driver added support for the tablet-mode switch on relevant devices.
The full list of HID updates that were merged for the Linux 7.3 kernel can be found via this pull.
8 Comments