Your system information

• Steam client version (build number or date): 1753403107, Thu, Jul 24 16:28 UTC -08:00
• Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Arch
• Opted into Steam client beta?: tried both stable and beta
• Have you checked for system updates?: yes
• Steam Logs: steam-logs.tar.gz
• GPU: AMD, RX 6900 XT

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Since a few weeks ago, I've had steam input completely break for me anywhere other than in the steam client itself. I use a Sony DualSense 5 controller, which was working fine in Wayland up until this point with Steam (both KDE and Hyprland). however, after the issue started happening, even though the controller still showed up in the steam settings and could navigate big picture mode and stuff, input was completely cut off to any application that isn't steam as long as steam is running. this includes games installed via other methods, such as games installed from GOG via Heroic Game Launcher: as long as steam is running, controller input is broken everywhere. as soon as I quit steam, controller works fine in all other applications.

the big problem is, of course, that I have many games I'd like to play in steam that require a controller, and steam breaks their controller support too, even if they have builtin support for the DS5.

of note, I also see a bunch of garbage like this in dmesg when steam is running as soon as the controller is connected:

[55075.697090] input: DualSense Wireless Controller as /devices/virtual/misc/uhid/0005:054C:0CE6.000B/input/input45
[55075.697193] input: DualSense Wireless Controller Motion Sensors as /devices/virtual/misc/uhid/0005:054C:0CE6.000B/input/input46
[55075.697285] input: DualSense Wireless Controller Touchpad as /devices/virtual/misc/uhid/0005:054C:0CE6.000B/input/input47
[55075.697542] playstation 0005:054C:0CE6.000B: Registered DualSense controller hw_version=0x00000413 fw_version=0x010c000a
[55076.879356] input: Microsoft X-Box 360 pad 0 as /devices/virtual/input/input48
[55134.699977] input: Microsoft X-Box 360 pad 0 as /devices/virtual/input/input49
[55225.423347] input: Microsoft X-Box 360 pad 0 as /devices/virtual/input/input50
[56227.202824] input: Microsoft X-Box 360 pad 0 as /devices/virtual/input/input51
[56253.461598] input: Microsoft X-Box 360 pad 0 as /devices/virtual/input/input52
[...]
[58055.253578] input: Microsoft X-Box 360 pad 0 as /devices/virtual/input/input90
[58128.481333] input: Microsoft X-Box 360 pad 0 as /devices/virtual/input/input91
[58173.959544] input: Microsoft X-Box 360 pad 0 as /devices/virtual/input/input92

it seems like every time I launch a game to test controller functionality, it spins up new virtual input devices for the steam input system, and never cleans them up, so they just live forever in the kernel input management system. I can't imagine this is by design, given none of this is working with steam at the moment.

My girlfriend's system running the same distro and KDE is working fine, so I guess it's something specific to my system. I'm hoping the attached system logs will help narrow down just what's gone wrong with my steam install to make it so broken all of a sudden. thanks!

Steps for reproducing this issue:

1. launch steam.
2. see ds5 detected and configurable in steam controller settings.
3. launch any game (inside or outside of steam), see controller is completely broken and doesn't work at all.
4. quit steam
5. launch any non-steam game, see controller work fine.