[Steam Input] "Old Gods, New Blood" - Controller Does Not Work on Startup

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

ISSUE:

Controller (8bitdo Ultimate 2 Wireless, Switch Pro Controller, DualSense) will not respond on startup with the new update, it will only respond when connecting when the game is already running.

OS: Windows 11
Steam Beta Client 23/01/2026

STEPS:

1. Start Deadlock with a controller already connected to Steam, preferably a controller that I've listed which is mainly Switch Pro Controller or 8bitdo Ultimate 2 Wireless

2. Try to press an input to confirm title screen

3. You'll experience that only holding Start will enter the game but no other buttons will work

RESULTS:

Deadlock will not respond with the controller, only KBM

EXPECTED:

Deadlock to work when launching with a controller connected using the recommended Layouts provided by Valve.

TEMPORARY SOLUTION:

This has worked for about 5 months now as this bug has been around for a long time but never addressed, if you connect the controller while the game is already running the controller will finally respond in the title screen and after. Remembering to do this every single time is tedious but it's the only way to use a controller on this game.

Thank you.

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

Bumping because there was a lot of bug reports yesterday might have been drowned out, again long term issue that might even effect Steam Controller 2026 if this doesn't get addressed.

 

[fanerbaner2005]

Yup, the xbox controller is also not working.

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

Bump, would really like to get any response from a developer. Have a great weekend!

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

Bump dump

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

Rem release bump, still not fixed

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

Graves release bump, still not fixed

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

Weekend bump, no fix in sight

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

New balance update bump, issue not fixed or known

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

Silver release bump, still not fixed

 

[kyotanaka442]

Can confirm this issue persisting. The "workaround" of turning the controller off, booting the game up, THEN turning the controller on works 100% of the time. Something's happening to inputs at the boot up of the game that just causes it to not work at all.

EDIT: Should mention that making any input with an XInput controller during boot up makes it so that the game recognizes any controller that comes up after the fact too.

I'm guessing it's an issue where something fails to boot up because it sees a controller, but can't see any inputs. So the process gets canceled early when it gets to the title screen.

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

Venator release bump, still not fixed

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

Celeste release, still not fixed

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

Apollo release, still not fixed

 

[DeadlockerBenReporting]

More users have started to complain about this bug, Valve please address this