Several players who purchased Goat Simulator 3 through the Epic Games Store (EGS) have run into a stubborn problem: the gamepad simply won’t work inside the title. Frustration often pushes them toward support channels, hoping for a quick fix. Yet the feedback from the official Discord bot has left many more confused than helped, offering steps that feel out of place for this particular setup.
One of the bot’s recommendations postulates a workaround that involves launching the EGS client via Steam, then manually adding the Epic Games version as a non-Steam game. The logic? It reflects the reality that the PC release debuted on EGS and not on Steam. The bot’s sequence is then to connect a controller, verify that the system recognizes it, start the EGS client from Steam, and only after that, launch Goat Simulator 3 from within Steam’s environment.
In practice, this guidance traces back to a broader feature known as Steam Input. Steam’s toolset can translate and map different controllers to PC games, effectively providing gamepad support across a wide swath of titles. However, the Epic Games Launcher does not include Steam Input integration, and the feature is not inherently embedded within each game’s code. That means a game must ship with its own native controller support, or users will encounter inconsistent results depending on the launcher and system configuration. In short, the trick of running EGS inside Steam may help some users discover controller compatibility, but it does not create a universal fix for Goat Simulator 3 on EGS when the game itself lacks built-in pad support.
For players seeking a reliable path forward, the core reality remains that the game’s native controller compatibility hinges on how the game communicates with its launcher and operating system. Steam Input can bridge gaps in certain contexts, but without deliberate support baked into Goat Simulator 3 by the developer, the fix is imperfect and not guaranteed. The situation underscores a broader point: launchers matter, but so does the game’s own input handling. A user who hopes to play with a gamepad on EGS should be prepared for a mix of potential workarounds and the possibility that a true, out-of-the-box solution may not exist yet.
Engagement with the Goat Simulator 3 community and official channels continues, as players share experiences, tweaks, and one-off strategies. The discussion around the emulator-like workaround—while not universally effective—illustrates a common pattern: when a popular control method is not supported at the code level, the community gravitates toward multi-launch environments and input-mapping layers to reclaim gameplay. The discussions around the title, and even unrelated showcases from the broader gaming world, reflect a vibrant ecosystem where players exchange practical tips and firsthand results. For context, independent reports and industry coverage highlight this ongoing dialogue between players, launchers, and developers, reinforcing the idea that input support remains a key quality-of-life factor in PC gaming. The broader trailer and promotional moments in the ecosystem, including events and features surrounding major titles, contribute to a culture of experimentation and shared learning, even when specific issues occur with niche setups.
Source attribution: VG Times. Community conversations and practical user experiences on this topic help illuminate why a single doorway for input handling may not exist, and why players often resort to an assortment of methods while waiting for a definitive, built-in solution from the game’s publisher or developer.