this post was submitted on 13 May 2025
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Linux Gaming

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Hi, I would like to ask if you have any experience with the PS5 controller with Steam on Linux. Steam crashes (segfault) everytime I connect the PS5 to my pc regardless bluetooth or usb :/

One particular setup with my pc is I am using the linux zen kernel on arch instead of the mainline kernel. Does anyone of you have similar setup with me and has the PS5 controller working ?

Thank you very much!

Edit: forgot to mention that I could use the PS5 dualsense as a mouse and use dualsensectl to control it so i guess it is more or less a Steam problem :/

Edit: Thank you everyone for your supports. I find out that for some reason I don't have XTEST extensions enable which steam need to use. If I switch to another display manager with XTEST enabled, steam works again

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[–] nichtburningturtle@feddit.org 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Weird. I use a ps5 controller on arch, with the zen kernel. The only issue I had is, that the pairing process is somewhat finicky, but nothing that you described.

[–] lyoko@lemm.ee 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

could you tell me how do you install your steam client ? thank you!

[–] nichtburningturtle@feddit.org 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The binary with pacman / yay. Don't use the flatpak.

[–] lyoko@lemm.ee 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Do you use amd or intel. if amd, which amd driver you are using ?

[–] sonalder@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 weeks ago

I never experienced such a thing on GNU/Linux after connecting a DualSense controller. However I had to update the firmware of the controller using a Windows PC (as I don't own a PS5 myself), I am pretty sure your could easily install the firmware-updater app using Bottles (wine).

Hope this will help.

[–] poinck@lemm.ee 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Unfortunately I don't have the same setup: I use the xboxdrv kernel module to use the PS5 controller for Steam games without native PS5 controller support. I deactivated Steam input for this game (Elite Dangerous, btw.).

I connect (USB) the controller before starting Steam. After connection I immediatly unload the hid_playstation module and start xboxdrv as root (I needed to create a custom mapping for it). Only after that I start Steam and can use the PS5 controller flawlessly in-game.

You might ask, why I am using a PS5 controller instead of an xbox controller. It's all about ergonomics. The PS5 controller is simply better for me.

[–] lyoko@lemm.ee 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

yay I choose the PS5 controller because I like its ergonomics more but I will probably have to go to the same route as you :/

also do you zen kernel or the mainline kernel and which version of kernel you are using ?

[–] poinck@lemm.ee 1 points 2 weeks ago

I am using gentoo-sources-6.12 . Idk, how mainline that is. It is pretty upstream with some Gentoo patches, I guess.

To increase the responsiveness of the system I changed the default setting of the scheduler to prioritize user input over system background processes (I don't remember the exact config name in the kernel). Other than that, I compiled it very close to Gentoo handbook recommendations: selecting only what I need and carefully choose between compiling drivers and features as a module or builtin.

[–] Jimmycakes@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Is ps controller support setting checked in steam?

[–] lyoko@lemm.ee 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I've disabled everything and Steam still crashed. My wild guess is that my Steam client will crash when any controller is connected to the pc and not only the ps5 controller :/

If i start Steam client with -nojoy everything works fine but i can not use the controller with Steam :(

[–] sonalder@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 weeks ago

What did you tweaked to achieve that ? I only had crashs with joycons when I tried to use two of them as seperate controllers but still don't know why.

[–] wingsfortheirsmiles@feddit.uk 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Have you tried mainline just to diagnose whether it's the kernel that's the issue or something else? Fwiw using mainline myself with EndeavourOS which is easyArch, no issues pairing or playing with my dualsense controller out of the box

[–] Pfeffy@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

I've never had such a problem. Been using Linux for years. Ps5 controller is just plug and Play.