Find the best HOTAS or joystick for Star Citizen, from VKB and VIRPIL HOSAS setups to budget sticks, with binding and drift fixes.
For Star Citizen, the best all-round control setup is a pair of VKB Gladiator NXT EVO Space Combat Edition sticks: a right-hand Premium grip and a left-hand Omni Throttle. This HOSAS arrangement provides precise analogue control of all six flight axes and remains practical on a desk without premium metal-base pricing.
If you can buy only one device, start with the right-hand Gladiator and use the keyboard for strafing until you add the left stick. Choose a conventional HOTAS instead if you divide your time between Star Citizen and aircraft simulators, where a long-throw throttle is more useful.
Why is HOSAS better than HOTAS for Star Citizen?
HOSAS suits Star Citizen because spacecraft move through six degrees of freedom: pitch, yaw, roll, plus forward/backward, lateral and vertical strafe. A conventional aircraft throttle controls forward power well, but it does not naturally return to the neutral point needed for rapid forward-to-reverse changes.
- Right stick: pitch and yaw on the main axes, with roll on twist.
- Left stick: lateral and forward/backward strafe on the main axes, with vertical strafe on twist.
- Left Omni Throttle: provides the same centred axes as a stick, but its angled grip feels closer to a throttle.
Aircraft-trained pilots may prefer roll on the right stick's X-axis and yaw on twist or pedals; that is a valid alternative. The important point is keeping all translational movement analogue. Our explanation of how HOTAS controls differ from a single joystick covers the underlying hardware and terminology.
Which Star Citizen joystick setup should you buy?
The dual VKB Gladiator arrangement is our default recommendation, but the right choice depends on budget, desk space and the other simulators you fly.
| Use case | Recommended hardware | Why it fits | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall HOSAS | VKB Gladiator NXT EVO Space Combat Edition Premium plus left Omni Throttle | Accurate centred axes, twist control and enough hats and buttons for targeting, weapons and flight modes | Requires two USB connections and more desk width than one HOTAS |
| Best single-stick start | Right-hand VKB Gladiator NXT EVO Premium | Works with keyboard strafing and can become half of a future HOSAS setup | Keyboard movement remains digital until a second controller is added |
| Best traditional HOTAS | VKB Gladiator NXT EVO with VKB STECS throttle | Good choice for Star Citizen alongside atmospheric and aircraft simulation | Lateral and vertical strafe must be placed on a ministick or other secondary control |
| Best premium HOSAS | Dual VIRPIL Constellation Alpha-series grips on compatible VIRPIL bases | Extensive controls, adjustable bases and strong mounting options | High total cost and best suited to a permanently mounted cockpit |
| Best budget HOSAS | Two Thrustmaster T.16000M sticks, sometimes sold as the Space Sim Duo | Ambidextrous design and accurate main X/Y axes at a lower entry cost | Few grip controls, while the twist potentiometer can develop drift with wear |
For the Gladiator, the Premium grip's extra hat, secondary trigger functions and ministick are genuinely useful because Star Citizen consumes inputs quickly. Confirm the grip edition and handedness when ordering; bundles differ between regions.
A working Logitech X52 or X52 Pro is still usable, with twist yaw, a separate throttle and plenty of buttons. We would not replace one solely to start playing, although its softer centring and ageing sensors may need larger deadzones. Buyers considering an X52, T.Flight or T.16000M HOTAS can compare their compromises in our guide to lower-cost HOTAS options.
How should you bind a HOTAS or HOSAS in Star Citizen?
Manual axis binding is more reliable than importing another pilot's profile because Star Citizen assigns controllers by device order, while grip editions and button numbers vary.
- Connect and calibrate the hardware. Keep each controller in the same USB port and use its manufacturer calibration utility where one is provided. Avoid applying competing curves in several utilities.
- Remove conflicting axis assignments. Open the Keybindings area and its advanced customisation view, select the Joystick/HOTAS device, then clear duplicate pitch, yaw, roll, throttle and strafe bindings from controllers you are not using.
- Bind the flight axes. On HOSAS, assign the right stick to rotation and the left to translation. On HOTAS, bind the throttle to forward/backward movement and put lateral and vertical strafe on an analogue ministick where possible.
- Place urgent controls under your fingers. Prioritise boost, space brake, coupled/decoupled mode, countermeasures, target selection and weapon groups. Landing gear, quantum controls and doors can occupy less convenient buttons.
- Tune one device at a time. Begin with a near-linear curve and the smallest deadzone that stops unwanted movement. Heavy curves can make fine aiming easier near the centre but produce abrupt movement near full deflection.
- Export the finished profile. Save it under a recognisable name and back up the exported mapping before deleting the
USERfolder or making major hardware changes.
With a VKB Omni Throttle used for Star Citizen, retain centring on the forward/backward axis so neutral remains easy to find. Removing the spring and increasing clutch resistance can imitate an aircraft throttle, but that sacrifices the self-centring behaviour that makes HOSAS effective in space.
What causes Star Citizen joystick binding problems?
Most HOTAS problems in Star Citizen come from duplicate axes, changed device order or calibration rather than the flight model itself.
- The ship moves without input: check for duplicate bindings from a gamepad, throttle slider or second stick before adding a large deadzone.
- The two sticks have swapped roles: Windows may have enumerated them in a different order after a USB change. If joystick 1 and 2 are reversed, the console command
pp_resortdevices joystick 1 2can exchange their assignments. - An axis moves backwards: select the correct numbered controller in the Controls section and change that device's inversion setting. Inverting joystick 1 does not fix the same axis on joystick 2.
- Twist yaw or strafe drifts: recalibrate first, then add only enough deadzone to stop the input. Drift that returns or worsens usually indicates wear in the twist sensor.
- Bindings vanish after maintenance: back up exported mappings before deleting configuration folders. Blindly restoring an old profile after control names change can also recreate conflicts.
- Buttons fire randomly: test the controller on a direct computer USB port or a properly powered hub. Marginal USB power can resemble a bad keybinding, particularly on control systems with several illuminated devices.
Do you need pedals, a throttle or desk mounts?
Pedals and a separate throttle are optional for a Star Citizen HOSAS setup. Pedals become useful when you dislike twist control or want to separate roll or yaw from the aiming stick; a throttle earns its space when conventional aircraft simulation is equally important.
Gladiator and T.16000M bases can be used on a stable desktop, although lower mounting improves arm comfort and prevents the controls moving during hard inputs. Premium bases benefit much more from fixed hardware; our comparison of desk and chair mounting options for flight controls explains what to check before buying mounts.
For a new Star Citizen-only cockpit, spend first on two accurate, centred sticks. Add mounts for ergonomics, then pedals only if twist control is limiting your aim or comfort.