Should I support controller, keyboard and mouse, or both?

It depends on platform and genre. On console and Steam Deck, controller support is required. On PC, keyboard and mouse is usually essential, and controller support is increasingly expected and widens reach for many genres. Some genres favor one input (mouse precision for strategy, controller comfort for platformers), but offering both where it makes sense maximizes reach and lets players choose how they play, except for genres genuinely built around a single input.

Is controller support necessary for a PC game?

Not always essential, but increasingly expected and beneficial for many genres. Keyboard and mouse is the PC standard, but many players prefer a controller for platformers, action games, and racing, or for couch/TV play, so controller support widens your reach. It's also required if you target the Steam Deck (controller-first) or console. The exception is mouse-driven genres like strategy, where controller support adds work for little benefit, so weigh it by your genre and platforms.

Which input is better for my game?

It depends on your genre. Keyboard and mouse offers precision (the mouse for aiming and pointing) and many inputs, ideal for strategy, shooters, and simulation. Controllers offer comfort and are standard on console and Steam Deck, ideal for platformers, action, and racing. Some genres are genuinely built around one input. For most games, the question isn't which is universally better but which fits your genre and platforms, and offering both where sensible lets players choose.

Controller vs Keyboard and Mouse Support

Quick answer: Keyboard and mouse offers precision and is standard on PC; controller offers comfort and is required on console and Steam Deck. Which to support depends on platform and genre, but offering both widens reach.

Supporting controller versus keyboard and mouse, or both, is an input decision shaped by platform, genre, and reach. Each input method has strengths, and the right choice isn't always both. Here's the comparison.

What Keyboard and Mouse Offers

Keyboard and mouse is the standard PC input, offering precision (especially the mouse for aiming and pointing) and many inputs (the keyboard's many keys). It's ideal for genres needing precision or many commands, strategy, shooters, simulation, and it's what most PC players default to. On PC, keyboard and mouse support is usually essential.

Its strength is precision and breadth of input. For mouse-driven genres (strategy, point-and-click), keyboard and mouse is the natural fit, and forcing a controller would compromise the experience. Keyboard and mouse is about precision control on PC.

What Controller Offers

Controller (gamepad) input offers comfort and is the standard on console and Steam Deck, where it's required, not optional. Many players also prefer a controller on PC for certain genres (platformers, action, racing) and for couch/TV play. Controller support widens your reach to console, Deck, and controller-preferring PC players.

Bugnet's device-tagged data helps you catch input-related issues across platforms. Controller's strength is comfort and platform reach, it's mandatory for console and Deck, and valuable for many PC games. For action and platforming genres, a controller is often the preferred way to play.

Which to Support

It depends on platform and genre. On console and Steam Deck, controller support is required. On PC, keyboard and mouse is usually essential, and controller support is increasingly expected and widens reach for many genres. Some genres strongly favor one (mouse for strategy, controller for platformers), but offering both lets players choose.

For most games, supporting both where it makes sense maximizes reach and respects player preference, with the exception of genres genuinely built around one input. Bugnet helps you catch input bugs across whatever you support. So decide by platform and genre: support what your platforms require and your genre fits, and offer both where you can to widen reach.

Keyboard and mouse offers precision (standard on PC); controllers offer comfort (required on console and Steam Deck). Choose by platform and genre, and offer both where it makes sense to widen reach and respect preference.