Some people solved black screens by turning GPU UI acceleration off,

This isn't a Linux issue; it also happens occasionally on Windows. It's caused by some general error in reading the controller manifest files.

Does this happen only for certain games, or all? Do you have another controller to test? Try reconnecting the controller on that blank screen?

Originally posted by Zyro:

Some people solved black screens by turning GPU UI acceleration off,

GPU acceleration being on or off doesn't seem to affect the issue.

Accessing the config menu for a specific game with the Dualsense already plugged in can either give a blank window or the option to enable steam input, however pressing enable does nothing. Plugging the controller in with the menu already opens results in less blank windows but I still am unable to access the menu.

The error seems to occur only to a selection of games in my library, the list is as follows:

• Dwarf Fortress
  
• KINGDOM HEARTS -HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX-
  
• KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
  
• KINGDOM HEARTS III + Re Mind (DLC)
  
• Marvel's Spider Man Remastered
  
• Metal Gear & Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
  
• Metal Gear Solid - Master Collection Version
  
• METAL GEAR SOLID 2: Sons of Liberty - Master Collection Version
  
• METAL GEAR SOLID 3: Snake Eater - Master Collection Version
  
• METAL GEAR SOLID: MASTER COLLECTION Vol.1 BONUS CONTENT
  
• Terraria

Everything else has steam input working as normal.

Testing with my Switch Pro controller yielded the same results.

I will see if reinstalling Steam fixes the issue.

Originally posted by Moosegoesmoo:

I will see if reinstalling Steam fixes the issue.

About reinstalling: Reinstalling the package does not change much, because the data resides in your home directory. A quicker test is using another Linux user (with the same Steam account), which would start fresh.

Mint in the graphical application store probably has the option for apt/flatpak. You did not install Steam in sandbox mode (flatpak).
That would make sense.

I think there was a big topic about controllers here yesterday.


edit:
No joystick works in Steam - but is fine in Linux itself?
>>>
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/app/221410/discussions/0/591775577045800612/

"About reinstalling"
apt-get purge steam
This advice, to create a new user, is very good.

Switching user fixes the issue, sorry, I am fairly new to Linux, what should I do next?

Did you do the purge?
Flatpak or apt? Or maybe a .deb package downloaded from the steam www.

In other words, you need to delete the steam-specific configuration files from your user folder.
This may be a hidden folder (name starting with a dot).
Set your favorite file manager to show hidden files.
And delete or better rename this folder.
If you don't have your favorite file manager:
sudo apt-get install mc
mc
keyboard
Colors and fonts vary depending on the terminal emulator that is running.
(ctrl+alt+F2 full text terminal)
(return to graphics is alt+f7 or f1 or f4 - the terminal on which your distribution starts the graphical environment)

edit:
You can do:
ctrl+alt+F2
log in
sudo su -l
(L)
apt-get install mc
mc
F9 - find show hidden if they do not display
in one panel old user
in the second panel (tab) new user
And comparing the folders, find the one you should rename. (F6)
F9 - exit
exit
exit
:)
alt+F7

Originally posted by Moosegoesmoo:

Switching user fixes the issue, sorry, I am fairly new to Linux, what should I do next?

There's a local Steam directory for your main user which you'd need to delete. There's different places for it, one could be ~/.steam/, or something under ~/.local... erm... somewhere. :)

Ah, so again when I read this in two days I will think that it was written in a way that is too complicated.

(This is what happens sometimes when a Zyro adds something under my post.)

Remove and purge only got rid of the installer. I had deleted the .steam hidden file and used the .deb file from the website, the issue remains. I’m only trying to play two games suffering from this issue at the moment, so the easiest thing for me to do is play on another user, a temporary fix but should do the job. Thanks for the help though! :D

Do it the way you should. It's not Windows, so you shouldn't download applications from the www site.
sudo apt-get install steam
You install things outside the system, so you have problems.
Use packages specifically adapted for your distribution and its specific version. (apt)

Originally posted by Moosegoesmoo:

Remove and purge only got rid of the installer. I had deleted the .steam hidden file and used the .deb file from the website, the issue remains. I’m only trying to play two games suffering from this issue at the moment, so the easiest thing for me to do is play on another user, a temporary fix but should do the job. Thanks for the help though! :D

Glad something is working at least. :)

I looked up the folders, it should be ~/.local/share/Steam or ~/.steam . Delete all you can find. :)

Knowing that this issue only affects a certain number of games, it might be that the Steam Input configuration files for those games may be either outdated or corrupted. Meaning, if Steam found a game's input manifest file imported from your profile but cannot read it, it will have a blank screen on the configuration screen. Sometimes there's some obsecure error number shown, rare times the whole client crashes.

A system-wide purge may not work if those configuration files are tied to your profile via the cloud. You would need to target that game's Steam Input manifests and replace them with a more recent template that Steam expects, either borrowed from a user that's not experiencing the issue or try switching to a game's beta or legacy branch and then access the Controller Configurator from there.

I can't give any specific details because I can't remember the folder paths it should be on Linux, and this might be based on if the game participates in the Steam Input API compatibility, but this should be your next step to resolve further issues. Especially if this was caused by the recent Steam Input overhauls (not your fault OP, just classic Valve ), it's definitely on a game-by-game basis, should be enough of a hint to further troubleshoot.

Check also for log file changes in your hidden Steam directory immediately after you see the issue pop up on a game.