Absolute masochist uses a mismatched pair of old iPods to game on their Steam Deck

HardwareHandheld Gaming PCsSteam DeckAbsolute masochist uses a mismatched pair of old iPods to game on their Steam DeckWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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That’s the basic takeaway fromwatching redditor nekomichi(viaSteamDeckHQ) doing just that. But, y’know, I’ve got to say I’m happy they’ve taken the hit for each and every one of us, so we at least know now to avoid the temptation to put Apple’s old music players to such use. Because we’ve all had that urge, right?

It really is one of the most fascinating things about theSteam Deck; aside from being the device which brought handheld gaming PCs into the mainstream consciousness—and encouraged the big bois ofAsus, MSI, and Lenovo to get involved, too—it’s also become the tinkerers' favourite toy. It’s an eminently affordable gaming device that has been made almost as open as a standard PC.

And because it comes with a Linux distro already installed, it’s just crying out for people to mess around with it. And mess around they have, to the point where someone has now plugged a pair of disparate old iPods into their Deck and used them as a combined USB controller.

In a way it reminds of the time I bought a left-handed joystick for my Amiga to make Sensible World of Soccer more tricky to play when I got bored of perennially winning, because this mod does nothing at all except make the entire experience of playing literallyanythingon the Steam Deck an entirely horrible one. Though I guess the satisfaction of actually getting the bizarre controller combo to work—despite the masochistic gaming effect—probably does have a certain appeal to some.

So, if you’re interested then nekomichi has detailed how they managed to get the iPods running. But essentially they’ve installed the Rockbox custom firmware onto both iPods and that is what allows you to use them as USB input devices.

More on the Steam Deck(Image credit: Future)Steam Deck OLED review: Our verdict on Valve’s handheld.Best Steam Deck accessories: Get decked out.Steam Deck battery life: What’s the real battery life?Best handheld gaming PC: What’s the best travel buddy?

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As well as testing the setupin Skyrim, the redditor has also posted that video of them running itin Sleeping Dogs. Though they have said that it is far more usable in the former than the limited use in the latter.

If you want to know about something useful you can do with an iPod you could always read about how you canupgrade the iPod Classic with a proper M.2 SSDfor MEGA STORAGE.

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