Valve’s own figures show controller usage on Steam has risen from about 5 % in 2018 to 15 % in 2024, a three‑fold jump in six years. Yet the keyboard remains the workhorse of everyday computing, underpinning everything from word processing to web browsing.
Gamepads Gain Ground in Competitive Play
In the 2024 North American Pro League for Apex Legends, more than 60 % of player input came from controllers, and the Call of Duty League now bans mouse and keyboard outright, allowing only gamepads on PC. Major titles such as Final Fantasy XIV have even introduced pad‑specific user interfaces, treating the controller as the primary input rather than a fallback.
Keyboards Keep Their Crown in Productivity
Since the 1970s, the keyboard has been the dominant computer input device, handling text entry for word processors, browsers and social media. Its role has not been eroded by the rise of gamepads; instead, the two input families have diverged, each carving out distinct use cases.
Retail Shifts Reflect Divergent Demand
Specialist stores are allocating more shelf space to gaming peripherals, but the mechanical keyboard market is booming. A Woot sale in November 2026 offered Keychron models at up to 63 % off, with the V3 wired keyboard priced at $50 against a regular $100. The OnePlus 81 Pro dropped to $87.99, a 60 % discount from its $220 list price. Meanwhile, Amazon listed the Logitech G316 X 98 gaming keyboard at a record‑low $90.23, highlighting features such as an 8 kHz polling rate and hot‑swappable switches.
Software Keeps the Keyboard Relevant
Free tools like Deskflow let users share a single keyboard across multiple computers without a $70 KVM switch, reinforcing the keyboard’s flexibility in multi‑device workflows. This utility underscores why the keyboard’s technical reality remains central to productivity, even as headless Raspberry Pi projects demonstrate that some niche tasks can run without any local input devices.
What the Numbers Mean for the Average User
The tripling of controller usage on Steam signals a genuine shift in gaming culture, but the persistence of keyboards in office and home environments shows that the two input modalities are not in direct competition. For consumers, the takeaway is clear: expect more specialised gamepads for leisure, while keyboards continue to evolve with higher polling rates, swappable switches and deep software integration to serve work and creative tasks.
Next month’s Steam hardware report, due in December 2026, will provide the latest breakdown of input device usage across all PC titles.
Sources
- Do Mice and Keyboards Have a Future? The Future of Device Manufacturers Being Eaten by the Giant Predator 'Gamepad'｜esportssp
- Computer keyboard
- Score Keychron mechanical keyboards from just $20 in Woot’s latest sale with deals at up to 63% off
- This Free App Saved Me From Buying A $70 KVM Switch – BGR
- Logitech G316 X 98 gaming keyboard now at record-low price in limited-time Amazon deal
- 4 "headless" Raspberry Pi projects that don't need a monitor, mouse, or keyboard
Photo: Colin (CC BY-SA 4.0)
