The Dualshock 4 has been confirmed to take advantage of basic tasks and certain games on the PC. It's been shown running on Steam's Full Screen feature and works in certain games like Hotline. DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controller compatible games and applications. You can use your wireless controller to play games streamed from your PS5™ console or PS4™ console to your compatible device using the PS Remote Play app. Your wireless controller can also be used to play games that support DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controllers.
For years, the PC gaming world has been dominated by a single gamepad: the Xbox 360 controller.
There have always been competitors out there, but the Xbox 360 was the king of the castle.
But ever since the PS4 was released, gamers have started using the DualShock 4 controller to play more and more PC games.
What kind of advantages does the DS4 have over the Xbox One controller and other gamepads? Well, it’s got a trackpad for one. It’s also not an Xbox controller – which, let’s be honest, is the first and most important advantage for many people.
Here’s what you need to know about using the DualShock 4 controller to play games on your PC:
Sony has never released official PC drivers for the DualShock
First, it’s important to note that Sony does not officially endorse using your DS4 as a PC controller. Unlike Microsoft, Sony has never released PC drivers for the DS4.
I don’t know why they’ve never released those drivers. It seems like it would be an easy way to make a lot of fans happy. Sony actually promised to release PC drivers a while ago, but still hasn’t made good on that promise.
But fortunately, the community has developed a better solution.
How to use the DualShock 4 controller on your PC
What you need:
-Windows 8, Windows 8/8.1, Vista SP1 or XP SP1
-.NET 3.5 or .NET 4.0 (these come bundled with the installer)
-C++ Common runtime libraries (also bundled with installer)
-USB 2.0 port somewhere on your computer
-SC Virtual Bus Drivers (also bundled with installer)
-Bluetooth 2.1+EDR minimum (Windows BT stack), which is only required if you want to use your controller wirelessly
Download the installer
Download the latest version of the DualShock 4 installer files from here (it’s updated on a regular basis)
Watch the video
There are a number of installation guides all across the internet, but some are better than others. I liked the video below, which walks you through the process in five minutes.
Configure controller
You may have to individually configure the controller for some games. But most games should work perfectly fine. Games tend to recognize the controller just like they would recognize a 360 controller. Even on new games like Shadows of Mordor, this method worked for me.
Any advantages?
At this point, you may be wondering if there are any actual advantages to using a DualShock 4 controller on your PC instead of an Xbox One/360 controller.
Well, both controllers are very similar. But the DualShock 4 does come with a few advantages, including:
-The DS4 has a trackpad, which works well using the installer tool featured above. You can use the trackpad as a mousepad, which means you can easily navigate your desktop without putting down your controller.
-You can hook your PC up to your living room TV and play superior PC games from the comfort of your couch
What about disadvantages?
Ultimately, these benefits come at a cost: the DS4 controller tends to be slightly more finicky than the Xbox controller and you may have to do some additional configuring in certain games.
The other main disadvantage is that your brain will need to mentally “translate” Xbox 360 controller requests when they appear on screen. If Call of Duty asks you to press the blue “X” button to kill someone, you’ll need to press the purple square button.
This isn’t nearly as difficult as it might sound. It might take a few minutes to get used to, but if you’re familiar with both controller layouts, it won’t be a problem.
Consider donating $2
The installer tool is free. But developing software like this takes a lot of time and effort. If this method works for you, consider donating to the original developer. He suggests an amount of $2, in which case your forum account gets upgraded. But I’m sure whatever you can give is greatly appreciated.
You can view donation details here.
Obviously, setting up a DualShock 4 controller on your computer isn’t nearly as easy as plugging in an Xbox One controller. But if you really don’t like the Xbox controller design and have grown up with the DS4 design, then this is the best way to get that controller on PC.
Back when Sony first announced that the DualShock 4 would work with Windows, PC gamers across the internet cheered in unison. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly the plug-and-play solution we had hoped for. While it’s true that the PS4’s controller is recognized by Windows (and OS X) right out of the box, existing games don’t automatically work with the gamepad. Thankfully, there is an application available that maps the DualShock 4’s controls directly to Microsoft’s XInput API — effectively tricking games into thinking you’re using an Xbox 360 controller.
To get started, head on over to the InputMapper website, and download the latest version. From here, simply run the installer, and agree to the terms and conditions. Once everything is finished, connect your DualShock 4 to your PC over USB or Bluetooth. Keep in mind, the USB method is much more reliable. The wireless connection method is infamously flakey on PC, and it seems to depend heavily on your chipset and drivers. If you’re having issues, default to the USB connection, and close out all other applications.
Next, launch the InputMapper app. At this point, the DualShock 4 should be recognized in the application, and it should function identically to an Xbox 360 controller in most cases. However, some oddball games have some compatibility issues. You might need to go into the settings, and toggle the checkbox labeled “Use Exclusive Mode.” Otherwise, the standard controller functions are completely operational.
If you’d like to customize your experience a bit, you can go into the Profiles pane, and you’ll be brought to a window filled with buttons and sliders. Here, you’ll be able to change the color of the light bar, remap your buttons, tweak the rumble settings, and even set-up custom macros.
Dualshock 4 Games Ps3
Keep in mind, this is still a work in progress. As it stands, you still need to launch the program every time you want to play a game. It’s a bit of a hassle, but that’s a relatively minor issue, since you can set it to launch minimized whenever Windows boots up. It’s also worth noting that this app is designed to mimic the Xbox 360 controller, so the button graphics in-game will show as A and B instead of X and O. If you’re looking for seamless integration, you need to either use a PS4, or wait for more PC games to ship with native DS4 support.
Dualshock 4 Gamestop
If you already use an Xbox 360 controller on your PC, there’s no reason to switch unless you have a strong personal preference for the feel of the DualShock 4. Getting everything up and running takes a little bit of effort, and it’s still more prone to issues than the Xbox One or 360 controllers. Most PC gamers shouldn’t bother taking the plunge, but this is a viable solution for anyone dead set on playing PC games with Sony‘s new controller.