Friendly Steps controls give each leg its own input, so you alternate left and right to walk and to keep your balance instead of pushing one movement stick. Full controller support is listed on the Steam store page and covers DualShock, DualSense, and Xbox controllers on PC. Keyboard and mouse play is implicit for this PC release, but the final default binding is not announced as of 2026-09-02.
How Friendly Steps Controls Handle Each Leg
The store page describes physics-based movement in which every player controls their character's legs independently. That single design choice explains the whole game: walking becomes an act of timing, since each leg has to be moved in turn, and momentum you build carelessly is momentum that tips you over. In a 1-4 player session, every participant runs this same scheme for their own walker, and the rope linking the group turns individual timing errors into shared falls. Gamereactor's preview describes the feel as a spiritual successor to Baby Steps combined with Chained Together, which is the outlet's characterization rather than a publisher statement, and it is a fair signal that the inputs are meant to feel deliberately clumsy. Two practical notes follow from the confirmed scheme. Alternating inputs at a steady pace matters more than pressing them quickly, and because the model is identical for everyone, input practice transfers across every preset on the [playable characters](/characters/) page and across every route on the [level progression](/walkthrough/) page.
Controllers Confirmed for the PC Launch
Friendly Steps controls are marked as full controller support on the store page, and PixelTwelve's launch-window coverage reports the same, naming the PlayStation pads explicitly. The supported devices are DualSense (covered by full controller support on PC), DualShock (covered by full controller support on PC), Xbox controller (covered by full controller support on PC), other Steam-compatible gamepads (covered by the full controller support label, without a per-model list), and keyboard and mouse (implicit for a PC release; the final default binding is not announced). Controller support does not mean a console release. No native PS5, Xbox, or Switch version is announced as of 2026-09-02, so a DualSense works because it is plugged into a PC, not because a PlayStation edition exists.
Keyboard and Mouse Status
A keyboard-and-mouse setup is the baseline for a Windows, macOS, and SteamOS + Linux release, but the store page does not publish a default key map, and no developer post has shown one as of 2026-09-02. Two questions specifically remain open: which keys drive the left and right leg by default, and whether they can be remapped in game rather than through Steam Input. Until the game unlocks on September 3, 2026, treat any circulating key chart as unverified.
Input Details Not Yet Announced
These gaps are worth knowing before launch day: in-game rebinding (whether the options menu exposes remappable inputs is not announced as of 2026-09-02); one machine, several pads (whether several controllers can be assigned on a single PC is not announced as of 2026-09-02, and the confirmed group modes are online co-op and LAN co-op described on the [co-op modes](/co-op/) page); Steam Deck (the store page does not explicitly state a Steam Deck verification status as of 2026-09-02 — the [system requirements](/system-requirements/) page tracks the platform baseline); motion, gyro, and haptics (no DualSense-specific haptic or adaptive-trigger feature is announced as of 2026-09-02); and accessibility options (no input accessibility settings such as hold-to-step or assisted balance are announced as of 2026-09-02).
FAQ
Does Friendly Steps have full controller support?
Yes. The Steam store page lists full controller support, and PixelTwelve's release coverage reports the same, naming DualShock and DualSense alongside Xbox controllers on PC.
Can you play with a keyboard only?
Keyboard and mouse play is implicit for this PC release, but the default binding is not announced as of 2026-09-02, so the exact keys for each leg are unconfirmed.
Does a PS5 DualSense controller work on PC?
Yes, under the full controller support label. That is a PC controller-compatibility fact, not evidence of a PS5 version, and no console release is announced as of 2026-09-02.
Do you need one controller per player?
Not announced as of 2026-09-02. The confirmed multiplayer modes are online co-op and LAN co-op, which use one machine per player, and local multi-pad setup on a single PC has not been described.
Is Friendly Steps Steam Deck verified?
The store page does not explicitly state a Steam Deck verification status as of 2026-09-02. SteamOS and Linux are confirmed launch platforms, which is a separate fact from Valve's verification badge.
How does the input scheme work in co-op?
Each player controls their own legs with the same scheme, and the rope link means a mistimed step affects the whole group. Player counts and mode details are on the co-op page.