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Jul 26, 2023

Diablo 4: Should You Use A Controller or Keyboard?

This guide will answer Diablo 4 players' questions as to whether the keyboard or

This guide will answer Diablo 4 players' questions as to whether the keyboard or controller is better optimized for the Diablo 4 experience.

It used to be that PC games and console games were in two different worlds, and never the two shall meet. That tradition ended with the release of the first Diablo game, which was released for PC, PlayStation, and MacOS. Later Diablo games continue the practice, so the debate about keyboards versus controllers is nothing new for the franchise.

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The most recent release in the franchise, Diablo 4, has both controller and keyboard support like the others before it. PC gamers now commonly use console-style controllers with their computer games, and owning a console isn't a prerequisite for preferring a controller over a keyboard. The question does persist as to which is better when it comes to optimizing the D4 experience, and that depends on personal preference and game design.

For reasons that have yet to be revealed, perhaps a careless assumption that most players have a controller lying around, Diablo 4 was released without WASD support. These are the letters on the left-hand side of the keyboard that are traditionally used for character movement in isometric or three-dimensional video games. The option is on the way, but in the meantime, the mouse is the only way for keyboard users to move their characters.

The game detects the controller or keyboard automatically and will show you the essential buttons to use on the screen and what they do. It's possible to swap out keyboards and controllers on a whim for those that can't decide.

The default options aren't set in stone for either keyboards or controllers and players are free to change them at any time. When the game is running, hit ESC to open up the menu screen. The Options menu contains the key bindings for both controllers and keyboards, stored under different tabs.

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Keyboards and controllers are at the same level when it comes to certain basic functions that modern gamers naturally expect of their devices. There are some things that neither choice can solve, however, like the lack of an auto-run feature or buggy graphics.

Diablo 4 is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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Kristy Ambrose has been writing professionally since 2010. She dabbles in various genres and creates everything from short blog posts to serialized novels. Her inspiration comes from gamers, beachcombers, foodies and of course her fellow travelers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Victoria.