CS:GO is one of the most popular FPS games in the world, with millions of players playing it every month. The game is available on multiple platforms, but PC players contribute the most to its overall player count. However, there are times when PC players wonder whether they can use a controller to play it or not. If you’re one of them, continue reading below, as our guide will explain how to use a controller with CS:GO.
To play CS:GO with a controller, you will first need to connect it to your PC. Then, you will need to go to the “Controller Configuration” settings on “Steam” to configure your controller however you like. You can use any controller for CS:GO, as long as it is compatible with Windows 10.
While using a controller in CS:GO is as simple as connecting it to your PC, there can be times when you have to adjust some additional settings before you can start using it. Therefore, we will explain how you can use some of the major controllers in CS:GO.
How To Use An Xbox 360 Controller in CS:GO
If you’re trying to play CS:GO on PC with an Xbox 360 controller, there are a few additional things you’ll need to do.
- Connect your Xbox 360 controller to your PC.
- Launch “Steam” and sign in to your account.
- Activate the “Big Picture mode” in “Steam”. This can be done by clicking on a button found at the top right corner of the Steam client. You can also open it by pressing and holding down the Home button on the controller.
- Now, launch CS:GO.
- Press the
(~) keyon your keyboard to open the developer console. If you haven’t activated the developer console, you’ll first need to go to “Options” to access the “Game Settings” section. From here, you can enable the developer console. - After activating and opening the developer console, type this command “
exec controller.360.cfg” and hitEnter. - Once done, type another command, “
joystick 1” and hitEnter.
After successfully following the steps mentioned above, your Xbox 360 controller will become ready to use in CS:GO. There are no additional things required. For some players, the controller works fine without entering the “joystick 1” command. But we recommend you enter it just to stay on the safe side.
How To Use An Xbox One Controller in CS:GO
If you have an Xbox One controller and want to use it in CS:GO, you’ll need to follow the steps mentioned below.
- Download the Xbox One controller drivers from here.
- After installing the drivers, connect your Xbox One controller to your PC.
- Now, open “Steam” and launch CS:GO.
- Start any match.
- Once in the match, open the “Settings” and click on the “Controller” tab.
- Click on the “Controller Enabled” option and set it to “Enabled”.
Once done, you can start playing CS:GO with your Xbox One controller. You might need to open the developer console and enter the “Joystick 1” command if the game isn’t detecting your Xbox One controller even after enabling it in the settings.
How To Use A PS4 Controller in CS:GO
CS:GO can also be played using a PS4 controller. However, for this, you will need to first download third-party software.
- Go to the official website of DS4 and download the DS4Windows software for free.
- Install the DS4Windows software. This will allow you to connect your PS4 controller to your PC.
- Launch CS:GO and enter a match.
- Go to the “Settings” and enable the controller from there.
- Open the developer console and enter the “
Joystick 1” command if the PS4 controller isn’t working after enabling it from the settings.
This will allow you to play CS:GO with your PS4 controller without any problem. The DS4Windows software will also let you customize your gamepad however you like.
The DS4Windows software was previously used only to connect the PS4 controller to the PC. But now, its developers have added support for the PS5 controller.
Important Console Commands for your Controller
Following is a list of some important commands that you can enter in the developer console to adjust the different settings of your controller.
| Command | Purpose |
Joystick 0/1 |
This command is used to enable or disable the controller in the game. Using 0 will disable the controller, while 1 will enable it. |
Joy_response_move 0/1/2/3/4/5 |
This command is used to set the speed at which the controller will respond to your movement. The lower the value, the slower the speed will be. And the higher the value, the quicker its response time will be. |
Joy_accelscale 3.5 |
This command is used to adjust the acceleration scale of the controller. The default value is 3.5, and you can enter a higher value to increase the scale. |
joystick_force_disabled_set_from_options 0/1 |
This command can help you with enabling or disabling any external computers that might be connected to your PC. 1 will enable them, while 0 will disable them. |
joy_inverty 0/1 |
This command can help you invert the Y-axis. If you set the value to 1, your character will start looking up whenever you move your controller’s stick down. You can disable this by setting the value to 0. |
joy_movement_stick 0/1/2 |
This command can help you select the stick with which you want to control the movement of your controller. The 0 value will assign movement to the left stick, 1 will assign it to the right stick, and 2 is used for legacy controls. |
joy_forwardsensitivity 2 |
This command is used to adjust the sensitivity of the forward camera movement. A lower value will reduce the sensitivity, while a higher value will increase it. |
Conclusion
This was all regarding using a controller in CS:GO. Keep in mind that you can use any controller in the game, as long as it is compatible with Windows 10. You can even use the PS5 and Xbox Series X controller.
Frequently Asked Questions
To use a PS5 controller with CS:GO, you’ll need to download and install the DS4Windows software for it as well.
While a controller can help you play CS:GO from anywhere in your room, it is recommended to use a keyboard and mouse. This is because CS:GO is a fast-paced FPS and you can’t achieve the same accuracy as a mouse with a controller.
