Controller desync/disconnect on PC

[Zeph_Avarin]

Hi there, over the past week or so I've been running into a constant desync issue where the game will stop detecting inputs from my controller at seemingly random intervals that has made the game nearly unplayable. I've tried to look into solutions and have found reports from other players experiencing the same issue over the past several years including a previous post to the forum from 2019. Most of these players suggest disabling a software device called "Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator" and report that doing so resolves the issue-- for me however, it has not. To be clear, I have tested multiple controllers on multiple games with several different cables and connection methods and have only experienced this issue with FFXIV. I have rebooted the game and my computer numerous times, and have even uninstalled/disabled some devices in an attempt to fix this to no avail. Frankly I have exhausted every option I could find save for making a post asking for help... I hope someone can provide me some answers so I can get back to playing the game.

[Lemage]

FFXIV takes way longer than other games to reconnect a controller and also drops the connection easier.
The enumerator fix only worked back on windows 7 really and was fixed about a year later anyway.
It's an issue with FF itself.

The main workaround is to use a virtual device (If you use a Dualshock or Dualsense, you achieve this with either DSX or DS4Windows and setting it to "emulate" another controller, whether Dualshock or 360) because the virtual device never "disconnects" from the game, but the physical device disconnecting from the program (DSX or DS4Windows) takes only a millisecond or so.

If you use an xbox controller, you're SOL unless you use a paid program like REWASD or something. No experience there.

[Zeph_Avarin]

Thank you for the pointers! Between your advice (and maybe some luck) the issue *seems* less prevalent. Its a shame I should have to rely on such programs to fix this but its better than not being fixable at all I suppose...

[Zeph_Avarin]

Actually as an update, it appears even using DS4 with a PS4 controller to emulate an Xbox Controller still doesn't fix the issue. I was able to play for a few hours on an Xbox controller with little to no issues this morning but now its even worse than it was yesterday with or without DS4... It seems totally sporadic as to whether things will work or not and for how long it will work. The only thing that's even remotely worked is literally emulating Keyboard inputs via JoyToKey Which isn't ideal either for how awkward movement and camera control is.