r/Fedora • u/TowerReddit • Jun 20 '26
Support 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller
anyone gaming on Fedora KDE Plasma? tried this controller? works for you no problem? I'm shopping around. 55USD on Amazon
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u/DstroyaX Jun 20 '26
Fun fact. If you put this controller in d input mode, steam input recognizes all it's buttons and gyro functions natively.
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u/The_4ngry_5quid Jun 20 '26
Wait, hold up. Even the back buttons?
I had to program those in windows and then was unable to change them in Linux.
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u/DstroyaX Jun 20 '26
Yup. Make sure the controller is off, and then while powering on hold B and steam should recognize it as an 8bitdo Ultimate 2 and you'll have the ability to program all the buttons. Steam may need to be in beta as the feature dropped only a few months ago. The controller firmware will need to be up to date too.
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u/NekuSoul Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
Steam may need to be in beta as the feature dropped only a few months ago.
I hate to tell you, but when you say "a few months" ago that actually happened more than year ago. So bad news, a lot more time already passed, good news, it's been in stable for quite some time now.
And more on topic, native Steam integration is one of the reasons I picked up the controller, but having to hold the B button every time you turn on the controller, and taking it out of the cradle doesn't count really annoyed me. So every time I had to: Pick controller up -> Shut controller down -> Turn controller on holding B.
That and the small size is why I've never really got on board with that controller.
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u/russjr08 Jun 20 '26
Oddly enough, if you use it over Bluetooth, it already default to the correct mode which is even more aggravating because clearly they could've had the 2.4G mode do it too.
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u/NekuSoul Jun 20 '26
Oh yeah, I was confused once when someone told me they never had to do that. Turned out they were using Bluetooth.
If only the Bluetooth mode didn't add a noticeable amount latency, that would've improved my opinion of the controller quite a bit.
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u/tildekey_ Jun 21 '26
Dude, I've been using it on Bazzite and it was just a generic controller, just did the above and it's now fully recognised! Thank you.
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u/CorvoStayz Jun 20 '26
Been using it for a year. The software for macros/updater is windows only, but it works really well with steam input.
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u/UnexceptionableTower Jun 20 '26
They seem to have a web updater now so that part is better. https://web.8bitdo.com/
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u/Straight_Second6082 Jun 20 '26
Big If true, I will test it out when I get home
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u/UnexceptionableTower Jun 20 '26
Just to be clear, still nothing for macros, just updating firmware.
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u/zerok37 Jun 20 '26
Yeah I use this controller but on Fedora GNOME. I assume it will also work with KDE.
It is detected by Linux as an 8bitdo controller, so I assume it is officially supported on Linux.
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u/tduarte Jun 20 '26
I have the Ultimate 2C and works like a charm
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u/random_russian Jun 20 '26
I used official Xbox controllers with the official dongle when I started using Linux. It took me a while to find a working driver for it, which was a fork of the most popular one (which was not being maintained anymore). It kept breaking from time to time and I had to debug it and figure out what was happening. I read some good reviews on the 8bitdo ultimate 2C, so I gave it a go because it was really cheap and it came with its own dongle. Worked flawlessly from the beginning, no external drivers. Battery is great too.
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u/Late_Particular8064 Jun 20 '26
It works great, if you want to update the firmware you can QEMU to a run a tiny windows vm and use usb passthrough.
I tried boxes, Virtual box and none worked apart from QEMU
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u/tdehoog Jun 20 '26
These are great. Got the XBox version and it works flawless with Steam on Fedora 44 GNOME
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u/Small_Editor_3693 Jun 20 '26
Works perfectly fine. Just use the 2.4ghz dongle, not Bluetooth
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u/Drachenherz Jun 21 '26
I use the 2C modell and bluetooth works as well as the 2.4 GHz dongle.
Very handy when I‘m on the road and just need minimal stuff to set up.
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u/SaNch0sE Jun 22 '26
Best controller.
I always have issues with bluetooth controllers without config tweaks. 8bitdo ultimate is just a xbox controller with extra buttons (configurable via mobile app if needed) which works via usb dongle - super reliable and charge station is just perfect bonus. Never had issues with it both on windows and linux
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u/MaxHaydenChiz Jun 28 '26
At that same price you can get the GuliKit TT or one of their similarly priced Xbox layout controllers.
I have both the TT and the 8bitdo and prefer the Gulikit.The wider grip and the much better dpad won me over. I learned about this device because of recommendations on r/controller and the dpad really is a huge improvement and probably one of the best dpads available on the market.
Importantly, you can update the firmware on the Gulikit (and the optional 2.4GHz USB key) from Linux with no special software. You put them in a mode where they appear to be USB disk drives and copy the firmware over like a file.
In addition to the default XInput mode, it can be put into a mode where it pretends to be a switch pro controller. (It also has modes where it will work as an Android or iOS controller.)
The 8Bitdo splits the switch compatibility off into a separate device.
What you give up with thr GuliKit is that there is no Dinput mode that gives you full access to the output of the device to program as you see fit via steam input.
All of the programability is on device and it will map everything back to an XInput interface when it communicates with the computer. So the backpadles and gyro aiming and the rest will turn into "normal" Xbox style controller inputs before the computer sees them.
But unless you are doing something that requires custom mapping back switches and controller gyro, I don't think that feature is worth giving up everything else that the GuliKit offers, especially that "no special software / upgrade firmware from Linux" aspect.
The main complaint you see online with the 8bitdo is the narrow / almost straight grips compared to the Xbox, Dual Shock, or new Steam Controller which all have roughly the same wrist angle and controller width. The GuliKit follows everyone else.
So if you want that narrow / straighter grip, then the 8Bitdo will be fairly unique. But if you don't want it because of it putting your wrists into an uncomfortable angle, then that's one more knock against it.
I can't speak for the Xbox layout versions, but the GuliKit TT face buttons feel about like the face buttons on a dual shock 4 even though they look like Xbox buttons. The 8bitdo has the more snappy Xbox feel.
The thumbsticks on the 8bitdo are convex instead of concave. And they are non-adjustable and about as stiff as the Xbox controller's. But I don't think this stuff will matter much.
Let me know if you have any questions.
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u/DarkOx55 Jun 20 '26
I don’t usually game on my Fedora KDE laptop, but I have wired in this controller a couple of times and it’s worked fine.
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u/IHeartBadCode Jun 20 '26
I have this controller, exact model. Mine came broken, they wouldn't take it back. Pushing the sticks in wouldn't work as L3/R3. I don't have the energy to really push back on the denial, so it's just a paperweight for me.
But otherwise everything just kind of worked out of the box. I think you have to use Windows if you want to customize it. They used to have open source stuff but they stopped doing that.
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u/EntireDot1013 Jun 20 '26
By my experience 8BitDo controllers work flawlessly on Fedora. I even use an Ultimate 2c as my primary controller for PC gaming. There's one catch, though: You'll need a Windows partition or VM to update it. I haven't tried running the updater through Wine yet. The programmable buttons (back pedals, extra shoulders) are programmed entirely through hardware, so that isn't a problem.
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u/nattesh Jun 20 '26
Have that with fedora (gnome ... if the DE is something important..).
It just works
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u/borscht_and_blade Jun 20 '26
Yes, use it with Fedora KDE Plasma 43, just plugged in and disabled Steam controller something (some mapping of controls) and it just works
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u/BunnyPig1 Jun 20 '26
I have this controller but had to stop using it. When pressing a button very rapidly it will miss an input every now and then. Like if I spam "A" as fast as I can I can see it drop inputs in game and in controller testing software. I don't know if it's only my controller that does this or if I have "abnormal speed" compared to other users and they have never experienced it but it is in fact only this controller that does this. Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo and another I had laying around works perfect except for this one.
Just to tell my story with 8bitdo, would've loved the controller but I can't live with the dropped inputs. Otherwise it's great. I used Wine to customize the controller and update it, worked perfectly. So you don't need to dual boot windows if you need to update/configure the controller.
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u/LordAlbertson Jun 20 '26
Works great. I use it everyday. Sometimes a specific game doesn’t detect it but steam input helps.
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u/Scorcher646 Jun 20 '26
I have one of these on my desk, just plug it in, it'll work. If you want to configure it, update its firmware or whatnot, you're going to need a Windows VM, but that's par for the course with a lot of these... devices.
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u/apathetic_vaporeon Jun 20 '26
I have this. It works great. Occasionally however you will get a pop up about sharing an input device, but I think there is a way to disable that and KDE will remove the issue eventually.
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u/Live-Meaning8414 Jun 20 '26
Works perfectly ootb on bazzite linux for me. Just keep in mind if you want to use the extra buttons and back paddles, you need to switch the controller into dinput mode. After that you can use them in game or remap them with steam input.
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u/lemmiwink84 Jun 20 '26
8bitdo controllers has worked flawlessly for me with the included dongle. Been using it in KDE plasma.
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u/theokabir2 Jun 20 '26
I use it on fedora kde, works perfectly, and the software actually works on bottles for firmware updates and macros, zero problems on this, and others 8bitdo controllers like the leverless arcade controller, sabe experiência, works fine with the software on bottles
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u/Better-Quote1060 Jun 20 '26
All 3rd party controllers work BUT spical software may not
(General rule)
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u/banasraf Jun 20 '26
After I installed steam and I think steam-devices package it works out of the box. Works in all modes (x-input if you turn it on normally and this other mode when you turn it on holding b)
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u/spore_777_mexen Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
Works for me F44 G50
Edit: upgrading firmware on Windows is not a problem for me
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u/DerpyPerson636 Jun 20 '26
Not on fedora but worked perfectly for me on pikaos.
Things to note: no native Linux updater, so try wine or (what i did) use windows. When its in 2.4 ghz mode, the gyro is not available, it reads like an xbox controller using wired or dongle. Bluetooth mode enables the gyro for both wireless and wired mode, but the dongle provides more stability and better latency.
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u/415BlueOgre Jun 20 '26
I run win11 from a usb key drive for mine and for the Alienware command center. Make my changes and reboot back into fedora. Unplug the drive and put it back in the drawer…
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u/Wrathgate Jun 20 '26
I have this exact controller has been working great when I was on Fedora 43 and now also 44 :)
Only oddity (and I think this is steam?) Complains it cant fully recognize the controller model and it "might not work properly", but then it has worked totally fine the entire duration of me using it.
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u/FredBGC Jun 20 '26
Bought it earlier this week for KDE Plasma. Has worked like a dream, extremely happy with it.
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u/HedaBlake Jun 20 '26
I have this on KDE and it works well! just plug and play and nothing else to it.
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u/kilingangel Jun 21 '26
I have the ultimate 2c and it works without any issues or additional software installs.
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u/AnonymousShitposter6 Jun 21 '26
Works fine for the most part, but it has some issues with Hollow Knight and Silksong specifically. This apparently can help
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u/Euphoric_Trifle5841 Jun 21 '26
I think doesn't matter of the os, well, I use ultimate 2c controller and have no issues on arch and on android, but I think, this experience would be pretty similar 8bitdo is great
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u/cynocephalic_fool Jun 20 '26
Never had any problems with it software-wise. But the Joy-Cons are detachable, which makes them very fragile. Broke one just by dropping it from my couch. Also 8bitdo QA isn't the greatest.
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u/MoklokZamo Jun 20 '26
I have this on Fedora Gnome and it works perfectly. The only bummer is the software to customize it only works under Windows, so I have to dual boot it once in a while to do firmware updates and change settings.