Since Valve introduced the Arch-based SteamOS and Steam Deck, the company has been a major contributor to Linux gaming. Now, Valve's latest contribution to the Linux gaming ecosystem comes from a series of patches by Vicki Pfau. Pfau is a hardware support developer at Valve. In the patch notes, Pfau pointed out that initial driver support includes "generic input for Joy-Con 2, Pro Controller 2, and GameCube NSO controllers," covering Bluetooth mode for all controllers and USB mode for the Pro Controller. The fully stable version of Linux kernel 7.4 is expected to be released in January 2027.
It is worth noting that Switch 2 controllers have already been widely supported on Linux via Steam, but kernel-level support means the controllers can be used in other game launchers without running through Steam Input or having Steam open.
In addition to Switch 2 controllers, Linux 7.4 will bring hardware support and several new features for many other peripherals, including gaming devices and other equipment. Examples include expanded sensor support for new AMD SoCs, improved trackpad handling for T2 Macs, and a new HID driver for Pulsar gaming mice (supporting battery level, voltage, and charging status readings in both wired and wireless modes). Speaking of mice, the Kysona M600V2 has also received an HID driver. Furthermore, new fixes have been implemented for ASUS ROG Ally power management, and support for Lenovo Legion Go S controllers and lighting effects has been improved.
