No pad support for BioShock 2 PC

By Robert Purchese Published 15 February, 2010

2K would need to redesign UI, apparently.

2K has delivered the rather unfortunate news that BioShock 2 PC will never support the Xbox 360 controller as a means of play.

"I talked to the dev team about controller support for BioShock 2, and I want to let you know that we won't be adding this into the game in a patch," wrote a community bod on the 2K forum (via Kotaku).

"The decision not to support the controller was not made lightly, and to add it now would take a complete re-envisioning of the UI that the team worked so hard to create.

"I'm sorry for those of you who are disappointed, and I want you to know that your comments and concerns have been heard and will be taken in to account when we are planning in the future."

BioShock 2 is out now for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. See what we thought in our BioShock 2 review.

UPDATE: Oops, we actually knew about this already. Sorry for the repetition.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (41) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • ukgamer #1 2 years ago

    PC controls are better anyways. I just don't get gamers these days :|

  • Pinky_Floyd #2 2 years ago

    They don't have to rewrite anything. Keep the existing interface for the mouse and integrate already working code from the other versions to give a new option. Yes, a little bit of work but hardly rewriting and redesigning what is already there.

    Lazy.

  • dsmx #3 2 years ago

    I seem to recall one of the requirements for GFWL was having pad support and even crysis managed pad support 3 years ago. This is just lazy support but it still boggles my mind that they screwed up widescreen support again even though they fixed it in the previous version.

  • bad09 #4 2 years ago

    The guy that patched ME1 native support in has already looked at it. It's all in there ready to go, problem is something needs doing but he requires the source code so no chance of a community patch either. It certainly is possible according to him but they just don't want to.

    Pinnacle/Xpadder is the best you are getting on Bioshock 2 sadly.
    Edited by 1 at 15/02/10 @ 08:55

  • hello_fi #5 2 years ago

    Surely if you wanted to play it properly, i.e. with the pad, you'd buy it on a console anyway? I don't see what the issue is.

  • Fixxxer #6 2 years ago

    Maybe people only have a PC, or bought the game for PC on the assumption such a simple and basic thing would be in the game.

  • DJMC2412 #7 2 years ago

    PC controls are better anyway, much more responsive, accurate and even easier to aim etc. I dont see why someone would wanna play with the xbox controller, after buying it on the pc

  • Boomerang #8 2 years ago

    Depends on which game ^

  • space_ace #9 2 years ago

    fans desires drowned again

  • lunnytoon #10 2 years ago

    Pad support would have been nice if only for the extra level of immersion the rumble gives. Drilling into splicers with rumble would have been great.

  • jonsaan #11 2 years ago

    360 pad on PC is fantastic. At least give people the option.

  • kangarootoo #12 2 years ago

    "and to add it now would take a complete re-envisioning of the UI that the team worked so hard to create"

    This statement is somewhat confusing. The UI doesn't need re-envisionsing, the vision already exists, it is called the XB360 control system and UI.

    I feel like I've missed something.

  • kinky_mong #13 2 years ago

    "PC controls are better anyway"

    Unless you want to move forward at a different speed without having to hold two keys at once.

  • Ryboy #14 2 years ago

    This is the most pointless bit of non-news I have ever heard. If you want to play it with a pad then buy a fucking console an play it on that.

    I completley support 2k's decision.

  • mashk #15 2 years ago

    Fuckers.

    A pox on them. I hope it doesn't sell as well as the original did.

  • IneptPercy #16 2 years ago

    It looks like I will wait until this is in the steam/shop bargain bin and somebody has made a perfect pinnacle profile then.

    I am not putting up with sub-standard console visuals just so my controller works and I am not sitting upto my PC to play it.

    Anybody working on hacking this into bioshock 2? most of the UI is in the first game, I will admit I know nothing on this but can't it be used somehow?

    I remember correctly the first had 2 seperate UI's which you switched in the options which changed everything.

  • Murton #17 2 years ago

    bought the game for PC on the assumption such a simple and basic thing would be in the game.

    And a fair assumption it would be considering that support for the 360 controller is a requirement for games to carry and use GFWL. Which mean MS must have waived this requirement for BS2 for whatever reason.

  • ignatiusjreilly #18 2 years ago

    The requirement is apparently that if it supports any controllers, it must support the Xbox controller. But there is no requirement to build controller support for every game.

    I wouldn't be surprised is MS specifically asked them not to include controller support to minimise the number of people that may have chosen the PC over the Xbox version, but that's probably just the paranoid PC gamer in me talking :)
    Edited by 1 at 15/02/10 @ 11:22

  • neems #19 2 years ago

    Oh my God, they wouldn't have to redesign the UI would they? Oh the humanity! If only they were computer game developers... oh wait.

    Like somebody else said, they could just use the console one couldn't they? And judging by 'the widescreen thing' (that is the technical term) they clearly do not take on board any comments for use in future iterations.

    Oh, also, GFWL certification does not require 360 controller support. It requires that you support the 360 pad if you are going to support controllers at all. Hence no requirement for controller compatibility in Dawn of War 2, or, indeed, Bioshock 2. As it happens, although I generally suck at aiming with a pad, I played the original Bioshock on pc with a controller, and it worked really well. Ditto for Dead Space.

    NINJA EDIT: Bah @ ignatius
    Edited by 1 at 15/02/10 @ 11:22

  • sneetch #20 2 years ago

    Sounds like a load of crap to me, they'd need to redesign the UI eh? Not simply port the UI code from the Xbox 360 version? I think whoever they asked either didn't have a clue or just doesn't want to be the one to do it or they hacked the crap out of the code on one of the versions. I must say I sympathise with him/her. :)

  • FogHeart #21 2 years ago

    (puts down pad, gets off couch, sits at keyboard/mouse/monitor)

    "Nooo! Want telly! Want couchycouchycouchy!"

    (turns off game).

    Edit: Well, seriously, we have Remedy binning Alane Wake 'because it should be experienced with a telly and gamepad' and now 2K refusing to code in gamepad support for Bioshock 2 on the PC forcing you to play it that way. And EA thinking over making DS2 for PC.

    What's going on out there? Discuss. In a podcast.
    Edited by 1 at 15/02/10 @ 12:31

  • Murton #22 2 years ago

    Fogheart: it was MS that announced that Alan Wake PC had been binned, that's why so many people believe it has more to do with increasing Xbox sales than this "how it should be played" bull.

    I agree though, there's a great discussion waiting to be had about developers/publishers or even just games engage with the player, or don't in some cases. Though I think I'd prefer either an editorial or a proper interview with industry figureheads than a podcast.

  • obscured021 #23 2 years ago

    I dont see the big deal, your better playing an FPS with a mouse i only have one or two games i use my 360 pad for, and for the person that said i dont want to sit right up to my pc when playing, i juts use a usb ext cord so i can sit on my couch when pc gaming

  • Darren #24 2 years ago

    Well if the developers can't be arsed to add controller support then can we PLEASE have keyboard and mouse controls that actually WORK properly when customised!!!

    There was an update last week but the customised controls are STILL borked up. Basically, I've reassigned Use to both E on the keyboard and button 5 on my mouse. However, both only work when picking up individual items. If I try to use either control to take the contents of Splicer corpses, cabinets, etc. then neither work and I have to use the DEFAULT mapping which is F! You can fix this issue temporarily by resetting the controls to their defaults then reassigning them but, as I found out, the next time you load the game the controls are messed up again. This is an issue that really should have picked up during testing along with the messed up widescreen setting IMO.

    So much for 2K dropping Xbox 360 controller support to 'perfect' (their word) keyboard and mouse controls. The first game supported both and didn't have this annoying bug. Tut.

  • sneetch #25 2 years ago

    @Murton
    Fogheart: it was MS that announced that Alan Wake PC had been binned, that's why so many people believe it has more to do with increasing Xbox sales than this "how it should be played" bull.

    Yes, this is the obvious and most likely the real reason. MS also get a cut out of each game sold on the 360, they don't on the PC (of course, they'd get money as the publishers). I presume MS will have to reimburse Remedy for lost PC sales unless they've already built up their dev costs so much that they've more or less sold their souls on this.

  • jebus #26 2 years ago

    You're all lucky they even bothered with a PC version these days to be fair.
    They make most profit on the console versions - obviolsly, so I assume that any extra cost to do stuff like this just gets tossed out to save an ever decresing profit margin on the PC SKU.

    Blame the morons who download - I wouldn't make a PC version at all if I was the developer.

  • Darren #27 2 years ago

    @afroofdoom - It's obviously a personal thing but I have both the 360 and PC versions of BioShock. Due to the bug when customising controls (as I mentioned earlier) I've found it awkward to play with the mouse and keyboard. I completed the game over the weekend on the 360 and if I'm being completely honest (which I am always) then I much preferred playing it that way.

    Mind you, I play most of my PC games with a 360 controller where possible rather than a mouse and keyboard anyway as it means I don't have to sit at a desk to play games. Again, it's my own preference but I like analogue movement, where you can walk or run depending on how far you push the stick, to clunky one speed movement on the keyboard. Using the keyboard for movement is like going back to 1996 and D-pads!!!

    Each to their own though. ;)

  • Darren #28 2 years ago

    /slightly random post... kind of

    Ha! I just tried to get on to the BioShock 2 forum to complain about this decision only to discover that I've been banned until the 18th for confirming to someone on the forum that a NoDVD crack did exist. However, I didn't post a link to the crack nor mention where it could be downloaded. Seems 2K's moderators are as useless as the programmers who are responsible for coding the controls!!!

  • Keivz #29 2 years ago

    @Darren

    +1 to you. Couldn't have said it better myself. Though I have no intention on picking up BS 2 until it's heavily discounted as I thought the first one was only 'ok'.

    Question: What's up with you owning two copies of games? Do you work in a game store or something? I never saw the point of ppl doing that.

  • Seoh #30 2 years ago

    "would require a complete redesign of the UI" after playing the PC version for sometime all i can say is "what UI?" the only UI i see are health eve and the ammo counter

  • sneetch #31 2 years ago

    @Keivz
    Question: What's up with you owning two copies of games? Do you work in a game store or something? I never saw the point of ppl doing that.

    You didn't ask me but I own two copies of Mass Effect and Fallout 3 (both on 360 and PC) and I'm considering buying the first Bioshock on PC to go with my 360 copy. Personally, I didn't enjoy them so much on 360 because of issues with the control method (i.e. the issue being that I suck with the 360 controller ;) ) and they're cheap enough on PC now that I'm going to play through them there with the added graphical fizz-widgetry that the PC can bring. Also I'm buying Mass Effect 2 on PC and I'd like to have a save to bring with me.

    @ Darren
    Mind you, I play most of my PC games with a 360 controller where possible rather than a mouse and keyboard anyway as it means I don't have to sit at a desk to play games.

    This point has been beaten into a bloody unrecognisable pulp already :) but here goes again: You don't have to (in general, you may have specific reasons why you have to) sit at a desk just because you have keyboard and mouse, I find having the keyboard on my lap and my mouse and mouse-pad on the couch beside me works very well. I play all my PC games that way.

  • FogHeart #32 2 years ago

    I tried k&m@couch but just couldn't cope. Operating the mouse next to my knee made my forearm ache and keyboard felt unstable in my lap.

    I really liked playing FPS on the couch with a nunchuck and wiimote, but to my eternal regret we will never see them on a PC. Maybethe Arc will control similarly. I can only hope...

  • FooAtari #33 2 years ago

    @jebus
    Blame the morons who download - I wouldn't make a PC version at all if I was the developer.

    Not even if, despite the piracy, the game still turns a healthy profit?

  • sneetch #34 2 years ago

    @jebus
    Blame the morons who download - I wouldn't make a PC version at all if I was the developer.

    I used to work with a guy who only ever played pirate 360 games. He seemed to have no problems getting them, I believe he downloaded the torrents himself and burnt copies for his cracked 360. The idea that piracy is just a PC problem is plain wrong.

  • ChaK #35 2 years ago

    @fogheart :

    there you go [link url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PifdVsV6hWE&fea ture=player_embedded
    ]http://ww w.youtube.com/watch?v=PifdVsV6h...[/link]

    razer sixsense is for you

  • FogHeart #36 2 years ago

    Wow! Niiiiice. Thanks! I watched the L4D clip and was impressed. It's not the same as a wiimote fps since that allows you to point anywhere on the screen like a lightgun does, but that's because it's not coded into the game. Hope this takes off and PC games support in that way, otherwise it might be a white elephant.

  • dsmx #37 2 years ago

    If devs were that concerned about piracy they'd only make games for the ps3.

  • kangarootoo #38 2 years ago

    "Are you all clamouring to play fighting games with a trackball? Do you all cry foul because the latest racing game doesn't support the Sega Bass Fishing controller? Are there swathes of people wanting to play RTS using a Joystick?"

    A small army of strawmen is what that is.

  • muscleblade #39 2 years ago

    "easier to aim etc"

    Easy isnt alwys better. It sure was easier when games only needed one button. More fun. NO!

  • FooAtari #40 2 years ago

    Easy isnt alwys better. It sure was easier when games only needed one button. More fun. NO!

    Well that's debatable...

  • Lamb #41 2 years ago

    I played Dragon Age with touchpad and a xbox360 controller connected to a laptop connected to an hdmi tv while sitting laidback and very casually reclined. I did that for Fallout 3 as well. Theres laptop furniture you can buy at IKEA. Its basically a solid stand with a shelf that juts forward so you can put it very close to your seating space.
    Edited by 1 at 18/02/10 @ 13:11