Batman Arkham Asylum, as players agree in unison, is one of the finest Batman games ever created. This is huge praise, as the fans of the famous caped crusader aren’t always easily pleased. The popularity of Batman Arkham Asylum means everyone wants to get their hands on the game. This demand for the game spreads across platforms. This explains why Steam Deck users are ever so eager to play the game on their handheld. However, there are several issues that have really put a dent in the experience of Deck users. The most frustrating one, however, is when you’re trying to run Batman Arkham Asylum on Steam Deck, but the controller is not working, no matter how much you try. We understand your concerns over this problem, and we’re here to help. Continue reading this guide till the end to find out the possible workarounds for the problem.
Valve’s Steam Deck is one of the most popular portable gaming systems. Thus, it’s not uncommon for Deck users to try and run their favorite titles on the device. The problem, however, is that not all games run that well on the Deck. Arkham Asylum is no different. Firstly, some players can’t even run the game on Deck. Players who can are still finding it quite difficult to actually play the game on Steam Deck because of the controller issue. So, how do you fix it if the controller is not working for Batman Arkham Asylum on Steam Deck? Let’s find out!
Batman Arkham Asylum Steam Deck Controller Not Working: How to Fix?
If you’re trying to run Batman Arkham Asylum on Steam Deck, we have some bad news for you. The game isn’t verified on Steam Deck or listed as Playable. You can find this information if you visit the Steam store page for the game. In fact, none of the games in the Arkham series are Steam Deck verified. This means that running these games on Deck is often a futile effort. However, you can still try and run the game on your Deck by following this workaround, as Steam user vengeance explained:
Running Batman Arkham Asylum on Steam Deck
- For this, ensure that you have Batman Arkham Asylum already downloaded and installed on your Deck. Once you have the game, enter desktop mode by pressing the Steam button, selecting Power, and choosing “Switch to Desktop“.
- Now, open the Discover application, search for ProtonUP-QT, and install the app.
- Launch the app and click on Add.
- Now, search for the latest Proton GE version and install it.
- Exit the ProtonUP-QT app and open Steam.
- Go to your library and highlight Batman Arkham Asylum.
- Press the three-dot button and then, from the drop-down menu, select Properties.
- Go to Compatibility and select “Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool“.
- Select the Proton GE version that you just installed.
- Now, run the game in desktop mode. Once the screen lights up, you’ll be prompted to hit Start. Do it, and the game should run just fine.
- Now, go back to gaming mode, and you can enjoy the game.
By following this trick, you should be able to run the game on your Steam Deck normally. However, since Batman Arkham Asylum isn’t Steam Deck-verified, even this workaround may not fix the problem for you. If you still can’t use the controller in the game, follow the workarounds we have shared below and see if either of these works for you!
Restart the Game
Sometimes, a simple restart can fix your problem like magic. If you haven’t tried this yet, close the game and restart it the next time you encounter the controller issue. Then, see if the issue persists.
Reorder Your Controllers
If you’ve used a different controller with your Steam Deck, then the device will automatically register it as Controller 1. This also means that by default, the game will always prioritize controller 1, even if you haven’t connected it. You can change it from the Controller Settings of your Deck. For this, press the Steam button and go to Settings. Then, select and open Controller Settings. Here, reorder your controllers and select Steam Deck as Controller 1. Then, run the game and see if the controller works for you.
Enable 360 Controller
You can also enable the 360 Controller to fix the controller issues. Open the controller settings, as shared in the previous workaround. Then, switch to the Recommended Layout. Now you need to press and hold the Steam button, use the right touchpad as a mouse, and use R2 to click on the options. Now, go to Settings and then open Controls. Once you locate the 360 Controller option, simply enable it and then run the game. See if the controller works.
Connect and Disconnect an External Controller
If you have an external controller, an easy fix that you can try is connecting it to your deck and then disconnecting it. See if it fixes the Steam Deck controller not working issue with Batman Arkham Asylum. You should also remember to reorder your controllers, just in case. Now, you can also use this external controller to play the game, if you don’t mind it. Otherwise, move on to the next workaround.
Delete the Existing Proton Layout and Use Proton Experimental
We’ve already shared with you how to force the use of a compatibility layer to run the game. However, since that hasn’t proved to be enough, now you need to try and erase your existing Proton layer and then force the use of Proton Experimental. For this, go to Steam Library and highlight Batman Arkham Asylum. Then, press the three-dots button and open the “Developer” option. From here, you can delete the existing Proton files. Once this is done, exit Developer Options and go to Properties. From here, go to the Compatibility tab and select “Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool“. From here, you can select Proton Experimental and run the game. See if the issue still persists.
Use a Community Layout
Now, for certain games, you’ll have the option to use a community layout instead of the official one. Does Batman Arkham Asylum have one? You can find out by opening your Steam library and then highlighting the game. Then, tap on the controller icon right beside the cog wheel icon. Now, click on your current layout. On the next page, you’ll find four options – Recommended, Templates, Community Layouts, and Search. Switch to Community Layouts here, and select a layout (if available). That’s all. Now you can try to run the game and see if the controller works.
Update the Game
If nothing has worked until now, simply try to update the game. Having the latest version of the game can solve a host of issues. Try this and see if the controller works for you.
Well, that’s all that we have on the Steam Deck controller not working issue with Batman Arkham Asylum. Hopefully, this guide was able to help you fix the issue. If you found this guide interesting and insightful, stay tuned to DigiStatement for more such gaming content and guides!
