Troubleshooting PC Controller Problems for Hollow Knight: Silksong

Upon its release, Hollow Knight: Silksong captivated players, driving numerous storefronts to unprecedented success and nearing 500, 000 concurrent users on Steam. As with its predecessor, the PC platform stands out, providing superior support for various controllers, ultra-wide display options, and enhanced refresh rates.

However, some players may encounter difficulties getting their controllers to function seamlessly with the game. Below, we outline effective solutions to resolve these controller issues.

Resolving Controller Issues in Hollow Knight: Silksong

The developers have integrated native profiles for Xbox and PlayStation controllers, but it’s essential to disable Steam Input to utilize these profiles effectively and to see the correct button prompts.

Ensure Hollow Knight: Silksong is not running.
Launch Steam and go to your Library.
Right-click on Hollow Knight: Silksong and choose Properties.
In the Controller tab, select the option Disable Steam Input under Override for Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Disable Steam Input Screenshot — Screenshot by Prima Games

Once you complete these steps, start the game with your preferred controller connected. You should see the appropriate in-game prompts. Tests have confirmed that controllers such as the Xbox Series controller, DualShock 4, and DualSense work as intended, reflecting the correct inputs during gameplay.

Silksong PlayStation Controller Inputs Remap — Screenshot by Prima Games

Silksong Controller Inputs Remap — Screenshot by Prima Games

PlayStation Controller Vibration Issues

It’s important to note that with Steam Input disabled, PlayStation controllers do not provide vibration feedback, even though such functionality works correctly with Xbox controllers. If vibration feedback is a priority for you, you can re-enable Steam Input; however, this will result in Xbox button prompts being displayed instead of PlayStation ones. It is hoped that the developers will address this concern in a future update.

Verifying Detected Controllers

If you’re still facing issues with your controller after disabling Steam Input, check whether Steam recognizes your connected device. You can do this by navigating to Steam > Settings > Controller:

Detected Controllers Screenshot — Screenshot by Prima Games

Disconnecting Additional Controllers

As an additional troubleshooting step, ensure that no other non-standard controllers are connected. While I have successfully used both Xbox and PlayStation controllers simultaneously, devices like HOTAS, fight sticks, or steering wheels may cause conflicting signals.

In summary, Hollow Knight: Silksong offers robust controller support on PC, and we anticipate that the vibration feedback issue with PlayStation controllers will be resolved in upcoming patches.

Source & Images