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this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2026
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Steam Hardware
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That controller is the lynchpin for making a mini PC my future home theater center. I care for it more than the steam machine
Same. I desperately hope they release a version with the regular thumbstick layout instead of the PlayStation layout that's on the Deck.
"Regular" thumbstick layout? PlayStation's was first.
EDIT: I see you edited your comment to remove "regular". Thank you! I've always been able to use either kind just fine, but I do prefer symmetrical, probably because I play a lot of 2D games and actually use the d-pad.
"DEBATE ME"
lol but seriously who cares who's first if we're going with who's thumbstick layout was first then it's n64 and I think we agree nobody wants that
Wii, Wii U, and Steam Deck (soon Steam Controller) did it that way
N64 wasn't dual analog, so not relevant since it wasn't symmetrical or asymmetrical.
n64 is relevant in any discussion about analog sticks on console controllera
The layout was very very non standard and had a single stick. I’m smoking a lot of weed but I can tell you the n64 controller doesn’t count here.
I said it was first I didn't say it was standard. But being the first it definitionally can't be "nonstandard" since it was the only one at the time!
How many controllers since the N64 have used that layout? The Sega Saturn Fat Controller is a more standard layout than the N64 controller.
I'll just include consoles that came with symmetrical or asymmetrical for simplicity's sake:
Symmetrical:
PS2: 160 million
PS3: 87 million
PS4: 117 million
PS5: 92 million
Wii U: 14 million
Symmetrical total: 470 million
Asymmetrical:
Xbox: 24 million
Xbox 360: 84 million
Xbox One: 58 million
Xbox Series X: 35 million
Gamecube: 21 million
Switch: 155 million
Switch 2: 17 million
Asymmetrical total: 394 million
More people have played on symmetrical controllers than asymmetrical.
I prefer assymetrical xbox style for modern games where the analog stick is more important than dpad. For oldschool games I prefer the dpad on the outside (symmetrical) like Playstation does. Just my opinion.
I can use either, but prefer symmetrical given a choice.
Similar opinion here! What I’ve noticed since the NES, is that my hands are largely symmetrical, and so the better layout depends more on the game than anything. For example, Microsoft had the advantage for a long time in racing games! Longer triggers giving better control, left stick in a spot making symmetry with the face buttons so everything goes naturally over steering, throttle, brake and whatever the face buttons do in the specific game, maybe turbo or…
Similarly, that layout favors games where camera control isn’t important (or possible) like action games, platformers and so on, focusing on movement and actions.
Now, the symmetrical sticks? They are perfect for things like fps, as the hands will be comfortably over the same spots: both thumbs on analogs, index and middle fingers over shoulder buttons and if there’s back buttons even a better alternative to face buttons!
And as mentioned in another comment, the Steam Deck has everything on the same level, making it perfect for anything. <3
I have played so much that nowadays I don’t even notice the difference in layout so much, be it the Dual Sense for games that support it or the GameSir Cyclone 2 for the rest (TMR sticks!) but what I DO notice is the not anymore start and select. Press “mystery button” to open the menu and I’m there, trying to figure out if it’s the one on the right or left side…
hardly any of those are still in production by that logic a regular TV is a crt lol
My bad I didn't realize this was a sport that you were trying to win lol
Why would a single analog stick be relevant in a discussion of whether symmetrical or asymmetrical analog sticks are "regular"?
that's not what the discussion is about