This guide will quickly and simply show you how to get 2 game pads to work simultaneously. Basically i bought the game to play split-screen and was greeted with headache and confusion. I search and search for something that gives me a work around, only to find forums of nonsense that have absolutely nothing to do with the problem i was personally having.

The issue i was facing. I initially purchased DW8E for the nostalgia of the simpler days of staying up late conquering ancient China with my friends. I was excited to see the game being a Remote Play Together title, and quickly picked it up on sale. My excitement was quickly taken from me as I struggle to get the Remote Play to work. It seems i can only stream what I am doing to my friend and they're inputs aren't registering at all!

After failing to get the Remote Play to work, i notice that P2 can still join the game if I hit F11 on my keyboard. This is great! I'm now halfway to playing split-screen. Only one issue.. Only P1 is controlled by the game pad, while P2 is controlled through my keyboard. Makes sense, as that's the "controller" i used to assign P2.

Most people would think, "well, atleast you can play split-screen." Actually, no, have you tried playing Dynasty Warrior on the keyboard with the default key binds? I know i can't! To each their own, I'm not here to judge.

After many failed attempts to get it to work following other guides i found. The best i could get it to work was both controllers output the same keys, meaning P1 and P2 had the same controls and were getting the same inputs from both controllers.

At this point, I'm livid. I've exhausted all the guides i can find online to no avail. Defeat is imminent but i must prevail. A light shines in my head. An idea comes to mind. Basically i discovered that the inputs from P2 are also sent through my keyboard. So i decided to make 2 different controller configurations with different keybinds all off my 1 keyboard and loaded them separately.

So here I am to explain to you who is most likely having the same issue.

I should note that I am using 2 dualshock PS4 controllers. I am not sure if this works for other game pads but i assume it would.

Let's get right to it.
I would like to suggest a paper and pencil or some kind of way to note down bindings

First things first. Launch DW8E.
Head to controls in options.
Under P1 settings navigate to button settings.
You're going clear ALL game pad controls! (Leave keyboard controls default. Write down keybinds to make later steps simpler)
Now apply those settings, and head to P2 button settings.
Clear ALL Inputs for P2 that means keyboard and game pad should both have NO keybinds.
At this point any all changes are easiest made in big picture mode. Apply those settings and Save the game before closing.
In big picture mode. Head to library and click DW8E
Click manage game and head to controller configuration.
At this point, make sure you have the 2 controllers you plan on using connected. (I used BT to connect both controllers)
With both controllers connected there should be a switch controller option. Click that and change controller grouping settings to not shared.
Here is where it gets rough.
P2 currently still has no keybinds so the best way to do this is to write down ALL of P1 keybinds so you know which keys are already in use.
Launch the game and head back to P2 control button settings. with your keyboard map any key that is not in use by P1 and write those bindings down.
Almost done!
Close the game and head back to steam controller configuration.
Create a new config and start binding keys for P1 how you want them to be on your controller. (Be sure to set the joysticks to directional arrow as WASD needs to be bound to the joystick. (There a P1 and P2 config settings in community however i didn't like how they were mapped) (I will upload my personal configs so look for the P1 and P2 settings by "dibsz"
Then save that config setting and name it DW8E P1.
Now create another new config setting, and bind whatever keys you put for P2 in game onto your steam controller config.
Go ahead and save that config setting and name it DW8E P2.

Now that all the work is done. Let's test to see if you got it all set up right.
Launch steam in big picture mode.
Head to manage game and controller configuration.
Make sure you have P1 controller config loaded.
Launch the game.
Now minimize the game and with the P2 controller head to manage game controller configuration agian.
This time click change controller, click the second controller in the list and load P2 controller config.
Now at this point everything should be set and ready to go!

You may notice that you can't navigate the menu's with the controller. Currently I have been using the keyboard to navigate the menu's and controller for fighting in game. (which works for me) I currently do not have a way to make the controller work in the menu's, but both controllers should atleast be able to scroll the main menu.

Only way to test if you did it right is to start a battle, P2 will still need to press F11 to join the game, however, both controllers should work!

Please leave a comment if you're having troubles. I will upload a video with how i achieved this if peeps have troubles understanding my guide.