A Linux Kernel Driver Is Being Worked On For Valve's Steam Controller

Right now to make most use of the Steam Controller on Linux you need to be using the Steam client while there have been independent user-space programs like SC-Controller to enable Steam Controller functionality without the Steam client running. A new and independent effort is a Linux kernel driver for the Steam Controller.

Through reverse-engineering, Rodrigo Rivas Costa has been developing a kernel driver for the Valve Steam Controller. This driver supports both USB cable and USB wireless adapters for the Steam Controller. This driver is being developed as a proper HID kernel driver so it should work with all existing Linux programs and doesn't require the use of the proprietary Steam client.

This kernel driver in its current form works with the Steam Controller's buttons, axes, pads, and wireless connect/disconnected. Still to be done are battery monitoring, force feedback, accelerometer/gyro, LED, and beeper handling for this reverse-engineered driver.

This kernel driver when patched is exposed via the HID_STEAM Kconfig option and right now amounts to just over 700 lines of code. It's not yet been called for merging to the mainline Linux kernel but is currently out for review on the mailing list.