Valve recently released its latest update to the Steam client beta. It has given all X-Input controllers the facility to use the Steam Controller's advanced mapping features.

One of the most notable things about Valve's Steam Controller is its software component. Steam Controller is an interface that enables users to designate any button of the controller to numerous keyboard functions. It is a remarkable feature that allows gamers make any PC game playable through the use of controller, even if it was only designed to be used with a mouse and keyboard.

The interface is so good that Valve empowered it for PlayStation 4 controllers earlier this year. Just recently, it was enabled for everything else. The most recent version of Steam's beta channel will let you fully modify the Xbox One controller, Xbox 360 gamepad and any other input device that uses the Xinput standard. This means that these devices can now bind specific keyboard and mouse shortcuts to their controller to be used in certain games.

Steam is now natively allowing X-Input controllers to create complex button remapping. This will possibly reduce the number of players, depending on third party programs like Controller Companion or Pinnacle. According to PCGamesn, someone has even managed to get a Wiimote working with this Steam Controller's latest update.

It is an interesting update for the Steam Controller, however, there is a purpose that it is still on the beta channel. At present, there is no way for Steam to distinguish among different kinds of Xinput. The configuration interface cannot specify the difference between a generic Xinput device, an Xbox One gamepad, and a 360 controller. This makes it difficult to save controller specific profiles. Moreover, this also means that some gamepads with fewer buttons will not be compatible with community gamepad profiles, according to Engadget.