I am reviving this thread despite a "solution" being identified - clearly not.
This occurred after I launched the game first, and then plugged the controller in.
Hogwarts Legacy works no issues, so this is not a Steam-game problem, this is an NFS problem.
I am attempting to install and re-install the game through Steam and this time, plug the controller in first and then launch the game.
I have spent the better part of the last 2.5 hours troubleshooting and here is everything I have tried (all controllers were wired into the system):
- Toggling Steam controller configuration to disable Xbox controller support, disable and re-enable Enhanced Xbox controller support, and re-enable Xbox controller support. Game was tried with every permutation of these settings.
- Using a PS5 controller produces the same results with every permutation of the settings above.
- Re-uploading a Controller Layout profile through Steam for Xbox and PS5 controller to enable ABXY as ABXY, and not directional buttons
- Un-installing NFS Unbound from system and deleting every instance in C:\ drive related to it, including the files in \Documents.Re-installed afterward.
- Un-installing EA App and removing every file related to it in C:\ drive. Re-installed the EA app through the integrated downloader after launching NFS Unbound.
- Every combination of unplugging and plugging the controller back in as the game launches.
- The best scenario in this case is the game allows you to press "A" to move past the initial screen, but then once it starts all the graphics with the ASAP Rocky song, ABXY changes to directional inputs.
My hypothesis is this has something to do with the way Steam is integrating with EA, or vice versa, specifically with the controller configuration portion.
Once the game launches past the initial "Press A" screen, there is an in-game message saying EA is syncing files - I assume this is our save file as it compares it to the cloud save, but perhaps there is a controller settings file that is synced, and may be corrupt or stale or cached improperly.
Also, the timing of Steam starting to use the controller settings setup for my user, as indicated by the bottom-right hand corner pop-up, is always timed after I press A on the "Press A" screen - this could be coincidence or a timing issue of when the Steam settings get loaded and perhaps get a stale controller file? I'm just guessing here.
Just looking to be pointed in the right direction.
To add to the troubleshooting efforts:
I just tried un-installing the app from Steam and installing it through a different account linked to my Xbox LIVE account on Desktop. Launch the XBOX app -> Use EA Play w/ Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to try NFS Unbound for 10 hours -> Install NFS through EA app launched from Xbox.
The game installed and the same symptoms were present: the ABXY buttons are treated as directional inputs, among other things, and the game is unplayable.
In my mind, this firmly rules out Steam and any steam controller configuration issues, as this issue is present when you install the game from other vendors/other methods, such as Xbox Game Pass Ultimate + EA Play + EA App, as described above.
This firmly puts the magnifying glass towards the EA App and how it's treating controller inputs. Is it a corrupt file induced by not having your controller plugged in when the game is launched? Hard to believe since this issue is persistent through re-installation.
Is it a cloud file that is corrupted, constantly queried by our systems? Something that is inaccessible to the user and therefore can't be refreshed? The reason I'm leaning towards something like this is because this issue has been persistent ever since it started - something changed.
Perhaps a back-end EA App update? Something that "wasn't supposed" to touch controller settings/code, ended up actually touching it?
I'll continue to test until I've firmly committed myself to an institution - will update the thread.
