Dear Community,
The moment many of you have been waiting for is finally on the horizon. For the past several months, we’ve been quietly restructuring our entire input system from scratch. We are incredibly thrilled to announce that our first public Gamepad & Controller Playtest is launching in the coming days! Implementing full controller support is a massive milestone for us. Not only does it change how the game feels to play, but it also lays the vital groundwork for our future. This system is what will eventually allow us to get fully verified on the Steam Deck, and opens the door for future console ports on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and eventually even the Nintendo Switch 2!
Our goal is to open the floodgates just in time for this upcoming weekend, barring any unforeseen final technical hiccups. Here is everything you need to know about how to participate, what to expect, and how you can help us fine-tune it.
1. Free for Everyone (The Playtest Demo)
The playtest will be completely public and free for anyone to join! It will feature a standalone, slightly streamlined version of the Desert Biome (similar to our previous demo layout), but equipped with full controller integration. Since we haven't had a public demo available since our Early Access launch, this is the perfect chance for your friends or anyone curious about the game to jump in and try it out for free.
2. Already Own the Game? Read This! ⚠️
Due to how Steam’s backend architecture works, players who already own the full game in their library sometimes cannot join a separate "Steam Playtest" app. Don't worry—we aren't leaving you out!
For Game Owners: Instead of downloading the playtest app, we will be opening a dedicated Internal Beta Branch for the main game. This will allow you to test controller support with the full game content.
Instructions: When the playtest goes live, we will post a quick guide on how to right-click the game in Steam and opt-in to the controller branch.
3. Supported Hardware & Seamless Switching
When the playtest launches, the game will be fully playable from start to finish without touching a keyboard.
Tested Hardware: We have natively tested and optimized the layout for PS5, PS4, and Xbox controllers.
Other Controllers: Standard hardware like the Steam Controller and Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers should work out of the box. We have also implemented a universal fallback solution so third-party controllers from other manufacturers should function smoothly as well.
Typing on Controller: If you need to type in a character name or text while using a gamepad, the official Steam Overlay virtual keyboard will automatically pop up.
Seamless Transition: You can switch on the fly. If you drop your controller and move your mouse, the game will seamlessly transition back to Keyboard & Mouse controls instantly.
4. We Need Your Thumbs (and Feedback!)
We have spent a long time designing a layout that feels fluid and intuitive for an action RPG. However, we know that every player has different habits, and muscle memory is a powerful thing. You might expect certain actions to behave differently—and we want to hear about it!
What to report: If your specific controller model isn't recognized, or if a button layout feels awkward, please let us know. For hardware issues, please include the exact controller manufacturer, model, and release year/version if you know it.
Where to post: We will have a dedicated Playtest Discussion Board right here on Steam, or you can join our Discord Server for direct, real-time communication with us.
Keep your eyes on our community hub for the official "Go Live" announcement and branch instructions. Grab your gamepads—it's almost time to play!
Thank you for your incredible support, The Varthos Team