Big Walk is a game where your ability to communicate is just as important as your ability to walk. Because the core mechanics revolve around proximity voice chat and walkie-talkie radio frequencies, how you interface with the game dictates your entire experience. For players on PC and Mac who prefer kicking back with a controller, setting up optimal keybindings is not just a matter of comfort—it is a matter of survival in the Australian bush.
Simultaneously, as you introduce new friend groups to the game’s expansive cooperative world, you will inevitably need to manage your save files. Walking a new player through a world where all the puzzles are already solved ruins the magic of discovery. You need to know how to wipe the slate clean. Let’s break down how to perfect your controller setup and effectively manage your save slots.
The Push-to-Talk Conundrum on Controllers
If you are playing on a keyboard, setting a Push-to-Talk (PTT) key is simple. Your thumb rests on the spacebar, your pinky hits shift to sprint, and you can easily assign ‘V’ or a side mouse button to open your microphone. On a standard controller, real estate is incredibly limited.
Playing Big Walk with an open microphone is generally frowned upon. The game utilizes complex audio algorithms to simulate distance, muffling, and echoes. If your microphone is constantly broadcasting the sound of your mechanical keyboard, your heavy breathing, or background room noise, you are going to ruin the immersion for your entire 12-player lobby. You need a dedicated PTT button, and you need a separate, easily accessible button to toggle your walkie-talkie.
Configuring the PS5 DualSense Controller
The PS5 DualSense controller has a distinct advantage for games like Big Walk: the built-in hardware mute button located right beneath the PlayStation logo.
While native support can sometimes be finicky on PC and Mac, players have been actively sharing how to change keybindings for the PS5 controller using Steam Input. By opening the controller configuration menu in Steam before launching the game, you can map the DualSense mute button directly to the game’s PTT function. This allows you to physically press the button to speak to players near you, completely mimicking the feel of a real-world radio.
Furthermore, you should utilize the DualSense touchpad. Big Walk requires frequent map checking. Map the touchpad click to pull out your physical map. This frees up your standard face buttons (Cross, Circle, Square, Triangle) for vital actions like jumping, crouching, interacting, and most importantly, pulling up the walkie-talkie. A common and highly effective layout is binding the walkie-talkie transmission to the L1 bumper, leaving your thumbs firmly on the sticks so you can continue navigating treacherous terrain while calling for help.
Optimizing the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Controller
For PC players, the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 has become an incredibly popular alternative, largely due to its programmable back paddles. When looking into how to change keybindings for the 8BitDo Ultimate 2, the community consensus is clear: the back paddles are game-changers for walker-talker games.
Using the 8BitDo Ultimate Software, bind the left back paddle (P1) to your standard proximity voice chat (PTT), and the right back paddle (P2) to your walkie-talkie toggle. This setup allows you to maintain total movement control with your thumbsticks and trigger access for interacting with physics objects, all while seamlessly switching between talking to the person next to you and radioing the scouting party across the map. It drastically reduces finger gymnastics and allows for much more fluid, natural communication.
How to Manage and Clear Save Slots
Once you have your controls dialed in, you might find yourself wanting to start a fresh adventure. Big Walk is heavily focused on exploration, puzzle-solving, and the organic comedy of getting lost. If you have already played for 15 hours with one group of friends and uncovered the secrets of the environment, bringing a brand new player into that same save file robs them of the experience. They will spawn into a world where shortcuts are unlocked, items are stockpiled, and puzzles are already bypassed.
To fix this, you need to utilize the game’s save slot system. Managing these slots is crucial for players who act as the designated “host” for multiple different friend groups. Players have been searching for exact instructions on how to clear a save slot to ensure a clean slate.
From the main menu, navigate to the host game options. You should see a list of your current save slots, usually marked with timestamps and the names of the players who were present in that session. To clear a slot, select it and look for the specific deletion prompt (often requiring you to hold a face button for several seconds to prevent accidental erasure).
If you are playing on PC and want to be extra careful—perhaps you want to temporarily remove a save file rather than permanently deleting it—you can manage the files directly through your operating system. We highly recommend reading our comprehensive PC save file location and backup guide. By manually moving the save folder to your desktop, you can create a perfectly clean slot for your new co-op session, while safely preserving the 20-hour expedition you are halfway through with your primary gaming group.