Devs Should Explain “Partial Controller Support” on Steam

I think we’ve all noticed the “Partial Controller Support” thing on Steam that sometimes accompanies games that don’t often play well with a controller. In my experience, every game that has “Partial Controller Support” usually has a different version of it. I think Steam should allow more specific descriptors or developers should mention the partial controller support explanation on the Steam page somewhere.

The main reason for this is due to the fact that sometimes using Keyboard and Mouse controls isn’t an accessible option. Some people need to be able to use a controller, so knowing whether the controller doesn’t work on menus (while the mouse does) as an example, is important. Alternately, knowing what the developers mean by “Partial Controller Support” may be important because of the specific genre.

For example, a Point-and-Click Adventure game that only has partial controller support may not be as much of an issue as a Metroidvania. One of the reasons I never went back to Diablo III after taking a break from it was that even though the developers made console ports, controller support never made it to PC. Diablo IV on the other hand plays wonderfully with a controller and with a Mouse and Keyboard setup, so it isn’t as much of an issue now.

This isn’t really an in-depth topic like most of my accessibility articles. I don’t have many far-reaching ideas or statements here. This is a simple issue that I think developers could work on, either by working with Steam to make more specific descriptors or by simply including it in their game descriptions. I’ve refunded a few games based on partial controller support, and I know other people have too.

The first step in solving this issue though is talking about it. As such, consider this article as a conversation starter. Unclear descriptions of what partial controller support means hurts more than disabled gamers too. Some people aren’t suited for Mouse and Keyboard gaming or maybe are just used to playing games with controllers. On top of that, EA, Ubisoft Connect, the Epic Games Store, and Amazon Games don’t even mention controller support. What gives for that?

Overall, it is small things like this that contribute to larger problems in gaming. Things like Steam games (especially Early Access games) having issues and mixed reviews can sometimes boil down to a lack of communication between Steam, developers, and consumers. Any attempt at transparency is good, not just for accessibility, but for consumers all around.