The MSI Claw Gamepad driver is set to be merged for the upcoming Linux 7.3 kernel for enabling RGB lighting and controller configuration support with the mainline kernel.

Developed by Derek Clark with Valve and other stakeholders, the MSI Claw Gamepad driver is expected to be merged for the Linux 7.3 kernel with this "hid-msi" driver being queued into the HID subsystem's "for-next" Git branch. This supports the configuration interface for the MSI Claw line of handheld console controllers for remapping of different buttons, various RGB lighting effects, and more. User-space can manipulate the options via sysfs.

This MSI Claw driver for Linux was developed with the assistance of AI and licensed under the GPLv2. In addition to this driver, Derek Clark with Valve has also been working on other fixes/improvements for the MSI Claw and other handheld gaming devices on Linux.

The GPLv2 driver is queued into hid.git for-next ahead of the Linux 7.3 merge window. That merge window is hopefully kicking off next week, assuming the on-time release of Linux v7.2 this coming Sunday.