Vaultbreakers natively supports controllers, with the official Steam Demo store page explicitly listing compatibility for Xbox controllers alongside partial and ongoing optimizations for general gamepads. Developed by BetaDwarf and co-published with Square Enix, this top-down extraction Action RPG (formerly tested under the working titles Project Haven and Project F3) allows players to use gamepad controls for character movement, directional aiming, and menu management.
Because the game features an action combat model centered around positioning, projectile aiming, and inventory sorting, the developers have spent multiple playtests refining gamepad behavior.
Official Controller Support and Compatibility
According to official game updates and store listings, gamepad input has been integrated directly into the PC client:
- Supported Hardware: The official Steam Demo page lists native support for Xbox Controllers.
- Steam Deck Status: Valve's official Steam Deck compatibility rating remains listed as Unknown on the store page, though the game runs through Steam on PC with DirectX 11/12 minimum specs.
- Playtest Availability: Gamepad functionality was active throughout the July 2026, December 2025, and October 2026 playtests, as well as the public demo released in October 2026.
How Controller Gameplay and Aiming Function
Vaultbreakers is a top-down game where tactical combat relies heavily on skill shots, rotating camera angles, and deliberate timing. Playing with a controller changes how you interact with these systems compared to the default keyboard and mouse setup (which uses WASD for movement and mouse aiming).
Movement and Directional Aiming
- Left-Stick Skill Steering: In the December 4, 2025 update, developers enabled specific channel-based abilities to be steered dynamically using the left controller stick. For example, the Champion Nymera's Emerald Barrage can have its barrage trajectory adjusted mid-cast.
- Auto-Targeting and Assists: In the October 2026 Demo and Alpha Test patch, BetaDwarf introduced an improved controller onboarding flow that specifically includes auto-targeting functionality and improved camera controls to assist gamepad users in landing ranged attacks and abilities.
- Evasive Abilities Direction: The game includes an option in the controls settings to determine whether dash and evasive abilities follow your current movement direction or your character's facing direction.
Gamepad Menu and Inventory Navigation
Extraction RPGs require frequent inventory management, item crafting, and stash sorting. BetaDwarf has focused heavily on making these non-combat interfaces functional on controller:
- Inventory and Storage Tabs: Recent updates resolved issues where controllers could not easily browse across expanded storage rows, chest tabs, and direct-from-storage vendor sales in Haven.
- Haven and Codex Interaction: Controller navigation has been overhauled across NPC dialog windows, building upgrade menus at the Command Table, Challenge tracking screens, and party management views.
Patch History: Controller Usability Updates
The developers have documented several iterations of controller improvements across public patch notes:
| Update / Patch Date | Documented Controller Improvements & Fixes |
|---|---|
| October 8, 2026 (Demo & Alpha) | Added onboarding for controller camera handling and auto-targeting; fixed controller navigation bugs in Inventory, Storage, and Social menus. |
| July 22, 2026 Playtest | Improved gamepad menu flow across challenges, building screens, parties, and the Codex. |
| December 4, 2025 Playtest | Enabled left stick directional control for Nymera's Emerald Barrage; improved UI navigation; resolved input toggle bugs. |
Known Gamepad Issues from Testing
Because Vaultbreakers has undergone active alpha testing, several specific controller quirks have been documented by the developers and community testers:
- Camera Pitch and Consumables: A documented bug in earlier playtests caused the gamepad camera pitch button to unintentionally trigger consumable use. Consumables and camera behavior have since received several usability passes.
- Matchmaking Cancellation: A previous known issue noted that canceling matchmaking using a controller could require repeated button inputs compared to keyboard inputs.
- Loot Sorting Precision: Player feedback on Steam community forums noted that while combat felt fluid on gamepad, looting tight clusters of floor drops was occasionally less precise than cursor clicking. Developers have iterated on pickup rules and item collider sizes in subsequent patches to address this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vaultbreakers playable on mouse and keyboard with click-to-move?
In early development, the game tested traditional mouse-click MOBA movement, but current builds use direct character movement (WASD on keyboard or analog stick on controller).
