Joya Systems

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Cloud gaming

Virtual and physical controller drivers for cloud gaming

A cloud-gaming team needed controller input to work reliably for streamed games. Joya Systems built a virtual Xbox 360 controller driver, a management agent, and a physical controller driver that exposed PS3 controllers as XInput devices.

Platforms

  • Windows

Services

  • Virtual device driver development
  • HID and USB driver development
  • Installer and CI support
  • WHQL support

The challenge

Cloud gaming depends on input feeling native. Games expected Xbox-style controllers, while real users had remote input streams or physical devices that did not match that model cleanly. Any added latency or device-shape mismatch showed up immediately as input that felt wrong, so the work had to make both Windows and the game believe they were talking to a real controller.

What we built

We built a virtual Xbox 360 gamepad driver and management agent so a remote process could inject controller input and have games see a standard controller device. The design supported multiple simultaneous controllers and high-rate input injection.

The driver also supported force feedback, MSI installation, and CI-built packages so it could fit the product team's release process.

In a related driver, we exposed a physical PS3 controller as an XInput device, supported multiple pads, and handled coexistence with real Xbox controllers while replacing dependence on an unsupported third-party driver.

Project outcome

  • Made streamed games see a standard Xbox 360 controller via a virtual gamepad driver with remote injection, multiple simultaneous pads, high-rate low-latency input, and force feedback — so streamed play felt native.
  • Removed a dependency on an unsupported third-party driver by exposing physical PS3 controllers as XInput devices that coexist with real Xbox controllers.
  • Fit the product team's release process by delivering MSI installation, CI-built packages, and WHQL certification support alongside the drivers.

Technical takeaway

Input drivers for games live or die on compatibility. The cleanest path is often to make Windows and the game see the device shape they already understand.

Working on something similar?

If your team is building in this area — a driver, kernel module, packet path, file system filter, security sensor, or certification plan — start with a technical conversation, not a sales call. Contact Joya Systems and describe the product, platform, and current state of the code.

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Frequently asked questions

How can a cloud-gaming service make streamed input look like a native Xbox controller?

With a virtual Xbox 360 gamepad driver plus a management agent: a remote process injects input through the agent and the game sees a standard controller device. We supported multiple simultaneous controllers, high-rate injection, and force feedback so the experience feels native rather than emulated.

Can a PS3 controller be exposed to Windows games as an XInput device?

Yes. We built a physical controller driver that presents PS3 controllers to Windows as XInput devices, supports multiple pads, and coexists with real Xbox controllers — which let the product replace its dependence on an unsupported third-party driver.

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