Does the Dualshock 4 bring anything to PC gaming?

In November, Valve added Steam support for Sony’s PlayStation 4 controller, the DualShock 4. Developers wishing to add support for the device to its games only need add the existing Steam Controller Application Programming Interface (API) and it'll detect the DualShock 4 automatically. But do PC games need a home console controller? Can it add any value to games designed for PC?

Twice the use

The first people this new update will benefit are gamers who already own both a PC and PlayStation 4. Now they'll be able to use the same controller for both platforms, whereas previously they had to buy a wireless dongle accessory if they wanted to make the DualShock 4 compatible. As long as the API has been added, Steam will be able to pick up the controller’s Bluetooth signal in the same way that the console does, providing an extra wireless controller to take advantage of.

Is it a good controller?

A game controller has to be ergonomic and robust if it's going to allow for long periods of gaming, and the DualShock 4 was designed with both of these requirements in mind. Not only that, but it features twin sticks, something that neither the official Steam controller nor its console rival, the Xbox One, offers. This allows gamers to play twin stick shooter games such as Quest of Souls, Helldivers, or Neon Chrome as they were meant to be played.

Gaming on the go

Another advantage of connecting the DualShock 4 via Steam is that you can now play games using the controller on the go, something not possible with a PlayStation 4. You can even play PlayStation 4 and Xbox One games on your laptop, such as the ROG GL702, either via Sony’s Remote Play feature (up to full-HD resolution for PS4 Pro) or Microsoft’s Play Anywhere scheme. The laptop’s ultra-portable design, weighing only 2.7 kg and measuring 24.7 mm in height, with a 17-inch display, makes it the perfect machine to play any game no matter where and on which platform.

Best tool for the job

While using a DualShock 4 can be advantageous, not all games will support it, either by not being available on Steam, or simply by not being suitable. Genres such as Real-Time Strategy, Point and Click Adventures, or MMOs are still best played using a mouse and keyboard combination. The ROG Claymore Core keyboard and ROG Spatha mouse provide a winning combination plus they look the part with Aura Sync.

However, the cross-platform compatibility doesn't end there. Just as the DualShock 4 now means you can use the controller to play the latest Steam games on your ROG machine, the ROG Strix Wireless headset has support for the PlayStation 4, so you can use that for both your PC and PlayStation gaming.

 

By Andrew Rainnie