Alas, it’s not through any effort on the part of Microsoft itself.

Plenty of folks still claim the aging wired Xbox 360 controller is still the best gamepad for the PC, and as far as I’m concerned, that remains true for the Mac as well. The controller should appear in the Bluetooth menu, and hopefully you’ll soon be shocked by how well it works. Hold it down for a couple of seconds.Īfter that, activate the DualShock 4’s Discovery Mode by holding the Share and PlayStation button at once for a few seconds. Then reset the DualShock 4 by slipping a paperclip into the tiny hole near the DualShock’s L2 button (on the back). First, open the Bluetooth menu under your Mac’s System Preferences. If you’re having trouble, you can see if your Mac is properly recognizing the device by opening About This Mac, clicking System Report, then USB, and seeing if Wireless Controller is listed (yes, even if you have it plugged in).Īlternatively, you can simply pair it through Bluetooth. Power to the players, indeed.Īs with the rest of the controllers, you shouldn’t need any special mapping app to use the DualShock 4.īut if you don’t feel like paying $60 for what’ll likely amount to a dongle for another dongle, you can plug the controller directly into your Mac with a Micro USB cable.

Just buy the $60 DualShock 4 USB Wireless Adapter, plug it into your Mac, and your DualShock 4 controller Remove non-product link should work immediately. Sony may be the company that infamously resisted crossplay with other console systems to the point of absurdity, but it’s also the only major console maker that made an official adapter that’s partly aimed at Mac users. You’re in luck if you own a PlayStation 4. You just might have to do a little work, so that’s why I’ve listed each controller here according to ease of use and setup, with the easiest being at the top. For that matter, there’s no guarantee that every controller here will work with every game (although you’ll have a better chance if you play games downloaded through Steam). You’ll almost certainly have a better time if you use a wired gamepad. You’ll sometimes need to download separate drivers, and you might need to reboot the system to see those drivers take effect. There’s a catch, of course (and there always is): It’s easier to pull this off with some controllers over others.

Even so, you’re not entirely nuts if you assume you can pick up your PlayStation or Xbox controller and use it with your MacBook without dropping any extra cash. Yes, some of the “support” exists only through the generosity and dedication of a few modders. Considering the awkwardness of almost every other aspect of Mac gaming, I was a little shocked to discover how easy it is to pair popular console controllers with my MacBook.

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