If your controller isn’t working in 2XKO, it can be frustrating, but it’s a fairly common issue that has practical solutions.
Controllers can stop responding for a variety of reasons, from simple connection problems to software conflicts or unsupported devices.
Sometimes 2XKO doesn’t recognize a controller right away, or a setting gets reset, leaving you stuck navigating menus with a keyboard or mouse instead.
This guide will walk you through the main troubleshooting steps, practical fixes, and common issues that players run into.
Troubleshooting Steps
Before jumping into the official fixes, let’s walk through general troubleshooting. These are things you try first to eliminate common culprits.
Check hardware connections
Unplug and replug your controller (or use another USB port if you're wired).
If wireless, make sure it’s paired properly and fully charged.
Try a different cable (if wired) or different USB ports, sometimes a dead port is the issue.
Close interfering apps
Overlays, macro software, joystick emulators, and other input manipulation tools can screw with the game’s recognition. Examples: Steam Input (even when not using Steam), DS4Windows, JoyToKey, vJoy, Razer Synapse, etc.
Close or disable those apps.
Especially, if you have vJoy Virtual Joystick installed, uninstall it — Riot notes that vJoy is a known cause of controller non-responsiveness in 2XKO.
Also check that no overlay (Discord, MSI afterburner, etc.) is capturing inputs.
Disconnect other input devices
Sometimes your keyboard or optical keyboard may interfere with controller input. Riot’s support page mentions that optical input devices (for example, Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL) may disrupt other input devices in 2XKO. Try unplugging your keyboard temporarily and see if that helps.
Also, on Reddit, users reported that unplugging their keyboard or certain peripherals (like the Wooting HE) “fixed every controller and button config issue.”
Restart the game & system
Sometimes the game or system gets into a bad state. Do a full restart: close 2XKO, close launcher/clients, reboot your PC, then start fresh.
Reset or remap controller inputs
Inside 2XKO’s settings, go to Controls or Input settings and:
Reset to default
Try to remap buttons manually
Switch input mode (if available)
Avoid mapping to “X” or “A” if those are causing conflicts (a known bug, see below).
Update drivers / system software
Make sure your controller drivers are up to date (especially important for third-party controllers).
Ensure Windows (or your OS) is up to date.
If your controller has firmware (e.g. for Pro models), see if there’s an update.
Clean uninstall and reinstall
As a last resort: uninstall 2XKO fully (including configuration files if possible), then reinstall. This clears any corrupted input configs.
If after all that you still have issues, now we move to the official fixes and caveats from Riot.
Also read: All 2XKO Characters Explained (+ Gameplay Tips)
Official 2XKO Fixes
In Riot’s support article 2XKO (Supported Devices & Peripheral Troubleshooting), there are several device-specific tips, restrictions, and known workarounds.
Supported Controllers / Devices
- 2XKO Early Access is not available on consoles.
- For PC, they officially support:
- Keyboard + mouse
- Hori Alpha or Razer Kitsune in PC mode
- Xbox controllers
- PlayStation®5 DualSense (though not all features)
- Note: Adaptive triggers, advanced rumble, and touchpad (beyond click) are not supported.
- They state that, although the list is short, “most control devices, outside from the Switch controller, should work with 2XKO” and they don’t know of specific devices that absolutely won’t work (apart from Switch controllers).
- Importantly: 2XKO does not support Nintendo Switch Controllers.
Peripheral Troubleshooting Tips
- Optical input devices (like some optical keyboards) can cause input conflicts. So, unplug keyboard or consider removing keyboard drivers if needed.
- As previously mentioned, vJoy Virtual Joystick causes issues — uninstall vJoy if present.
- If you’re using Steam (even though 2XKO isn’t launched via Steam), Steam’s input settings can interfere. They suggest:
- In Steam → Settings → Controller, toggle off all Steam Input options.
- If using a PlayStation controller, choose “Not Enabled” for Steam Input.
- Fully close Steam (from system tray), then relaunch 2XKO.
- In Task Manager, ensure no Steam processes are running before relaunching.
- Make sure Steam is fully updated.
- Riot also explicitly mentions “Non-responsive optical controllers in the game” as a known issue and offers the above workaround.
Common Bugs & Known Issues
While this section overlaps with official and community sources, it's useful to understand the types of input/controller bugs in 2XKO so you know what to expect.
- Double inputs / input duplication: Some users report that a button press registers as two actions. This is often tied to Steam Input or conflicting input layers. (Community tip: disabling Steam helps.)
- Stuck analog / directional input: The game sometimes “locks” a direction (e.g. constantly moving). Riot says you can press the opposite direction momentarily to cancel it.
- Menu vs in-game controller behavior differs: Some players report their controller works in menus but not in actual matches, or vice versa.
- Buttons mapped but not triggering in game: Binding an action to “X” or “A” may cause selection to freeze. Riot notes this as a known issue.
- Tutorial / onboarding issues: Some peripherals may fail in tutorial mode, even if they work elsewhere. Riot suggests switching to keyboard in the tutorial part.
- Spectating / lobby transitions resetting binds or losing controller focus: After spectating or switching modes, you might lose controller control or your custom keybinds reset.
Given all these quirks, your „controller not working“ might stem from any one of these, or a combination of them.
FAQ - Controller Not Working in 2XKO
Here are questions I saw in community threads or Riot pages that weren’t fully addressed earlier.
Q: Why does my controller work in menu but not in match?
Some players report exactly that. It may be a bug where the game loses focus on the controller once a match starts, or conflicting inputs interfere. Try closing everything (Steam, DS4Windows, etc.), remapping controls, and launching the match directly.
Also, Riot’s Known Errors page mentions that certain menu interactions lose controller focus and you may need to use a mouse or reassign inputs.
Q: Using a PS4 / DualShock controller. How to make it work?
Some users use DS4Windows (to emulate Xbox) and report mixed success. Several say that closing Steam and DS4Windows before launching helps.
Also, mapping issues (e.g. X/A selection freezing) are known with some PlayStation controllers.
Q: Does 2XKO support rumble, gyro, or advanced features?
No, Riot explicitly states that advanced features like adaptive triggers, advanced rumble, and full touchpad support are not supported with PlayStation controllers.
Q: I spectated a match and now my controller won’t work — what gives?
This is a reported bug: after spectating, custom keybinds may revert or controller focus might be lost. Check your input settings and rebind if necessary.
Q: Is there a list of controllers known not to work?
Not officially. Riot mentions they aren't aware of specific devices besides the Switch controller that don't work.
However, community reports that some arcade sticks or fightpads have issues, especially in menu settings.
Q: Will future patches fix controller bugs?
I can’t predict for sure, but Riot is actively updating their Known Issues and release notes (they even pushed a hotfix recently).
Based on past behavior, input bugs are likely a priority, especially since controller support is critical in a fighter.
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