I’ve got a small backlog of games on my laptop (running Arch Linux with KDE) through Lutris. I usually play with a keyboard and a mouse, but since I sit pretty close to my screen (ik bad habit), it starts getting uncomfortable after a while. So I’ve been thinking about picking up a gamepad for some more relaxed, couch style gaming.
I’ve never actually owned a gamepad or a console before, so this would be my first time. From what I’ve seen on Reddit, a lot of people seem to have good experiences using Xbox controllers on Linux. I just wanted to get some more insight before buying one to make sure I’m making the right choice.
I’m also planning to grab a second controller so my girlfriend and I can play some local multiplayer games together.
Update: I went with 8BitDo Ultimate C wired as it was cheaper and a lot of folks below suggested it over the original Xbox Controller. It worked out of the box. I have only tested it with Marvel’s Spiderman 2 from Fitgirl repacks installed and running via Lutris. Worked w/o any issues.


I love my 8Bitdo Ultimate controller. It’s comfortable to use and holds a decent charge. Having a charging stand is really useful too. If you have multiple non-PC devices, I would recommend getting the Pro version so that you can use Bluetooth. Otherwise, the USB one will work well.
Only other minor negative is that the d-pad is a little mushy so I will occasionally hit the wrong direction accidentally. So not the greatest for fighting games.
If you don’t need the charging stand, there are cheaper USB only controllers too.
Lastly, if you want to try to improve your posture, my family bought some chair restraint straps for my grandma who kept tilting in her chair. The ones I linked aren’t what we got her but they were the cheapest I could find. You may also want to get your eyes checked. Could be the reason you’re leaning forwards so much is because you can’t see as clearly as you think.