Where are the official PC keybinds?
Table above from verified data — always confirm in Settings on Steam after patches.
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu Controls
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu controls on PC, PS5, and Xbox: movement, aim, crouch, sprint, proximity voice, push-to-talk. Verify binds after July 2026 patches.
Co-op extraction overview — then verify PC keybinds, proximity voice, and push-to-talk in Settings.
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu controls
Controls for The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu blend standard first-person expedition inputs with systems that punish careless movement — sprint and gunfire raise noise, while proximity voice chat ties directly into sanity verification.
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu is a co-op extraction horror FPS from ACE Team and Nacon. Launch from Tempestad, pick contracts, explore the jungle for loot and logbooks, manage sanity and noise, and extract via the ox-wagon before eldritch threats overwhelm your team.
Not the Lovecraft short story
Search noise sometimes mixes H.P. Lovecraft's prose "The Mound" with ACE Team's co-op extraction FPS on Steam (App 2569760). This page covers in-game inputs only.
First-run control checklist
Before leaving Tempestad: verify crouch and sprint binds, enable push-to-talk if your household has open-mic bleed, test proximity voice with squadmates on crossplay, then skim beginner guide for ox-wagon extraction timing.
PC keybind reference (Steam)
Nacon and ACE Team ship The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu on Steam, Epic, and Microsoft Store with familiar WASD + mouse defaults. The table below mirrors verified PC binds — rebind anything that conflicts with your muscle memory from other extraction shooters.
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| W / A / S / D | Move — verify binds in Steam settings after patches |
| Mouse | Aim and look; many weapons use iron-sights or free aim |
| Left Click | Fire / interact — weapon-dependent |
| Shift | Sprint — increases noise; use sparingly in stealth segments |
| Ctrl / C | Crouch — quieter movement; confirm bind in Settings |
| Esc | Pause menu — audio, controls, and accessibility options |
Additional binds to confirm in Settings
Reload, interact, item swap, map, and torch toggles follow genre conventions but are not duplicated here until patch-stable documentation exists. Open Esc → Controls on first boot and screenshot your layout for crossplay friends.
Rain and weapon switching
When monsoon weather disables matchlock and flintlock firearms, you will swap to crossbow, bow, or melee mid-fight — pre-bind a comfortable weapon cycle key if the default feels slow during Prowler chases.
Movement, crouch, and noise discipline
W / A / S / D move your explorer through jungle paths, forts, and shore extracts. Crouch (commonly Ctrl or C — confirm in Settings) reduces footstep noise; Shift sprint is louder and can wake distant threats during stealth contracts.
| Input | Stealth impact | Squad note |
|---|---|---|
| Crouch-walk | Lowest movement noise | Scouts lead; defenders follow at match speed |
| Normal walk | Moderate noise | Default for open combat pushes |
| Sprint (Shift) | High noise spike | Reserve for extracts and emergency retreats |
| Chopping / breaking | Very loud — wakes jungle | Coordinate before clearing brush near camps |
Mouse look and iron sights
Mouse controls aim. Many 16th-century weapons use iron-sights or free-aim depending on the tool — practice tracking Prowlers without over-swinging camera during sanity distortion.
Ox-wagon anchor movement
When sanity drops, stay within visual range of teammates or the ox-wagon — movement inputs matter less than positioning for hallucination relief. Solo players with AI companions should still crouch-walk during logbook hunts.
No stamina bar — noise is the limiter
There is no stamina gate on sprint — your practical limit is threat wake-ups and squad callouts. Agree on hand signals when mics fail during dense jungle segments.
Combat and interaction inputs
Left Click typically handles fire and context interact depending on the equipped weapon or held objective item. There is no class-based combo system — success is aim, noise budgeting, and extract timing.
- Do01Confirm crouch and sprint binds before first jungle drop.
- Do02Test Left Click interact on a crate in Tempestad safe zone.
- Do03Swap to crossbow backup bind before rain contracts.
- Do04Agree who opens doors — door noise stacks fast.
- Do05Re-check controls after Steam patch notes land.
Firearms vs quiet weapons
Matchlock and flintlock bursts are loud but powerful in dry weather. Crossbow and bow shots are quieter but slower — map your inputs before entering rain zones where firearms fail entirely.
Melee and utility
Machete, francesca axe, and oil lamp interactions follow contextual prompts — read the on-screen hint the first time you light a path or break a barricade so you do not accidentally sprint-noise a sleeping camp.
Proximity voice chat and push-to-talk
Proximity voice chat is a core horror system — teammates near you hear you clearly; distant players fade out. That spatial audio feeds sanity hallucinations where distorted duplicates of squad voices can appear only on your client.
When to use in-game proximity vs Discord
Many groups use in-game proximity for immersion during expeditions and Discord for LFG logistics between runs. PSN Party Chat or Xbox Party Chat outside the game bypass proximity rules — useful for strategy, but it removes intended horror tension.
PTT setup tips
Bind PTT to a thumb-friendly key on PC (often V or a mouse side button — confirm in Settings). Console players should disable always-on mic capture in system settings if the game PTT toggle alone is insufficient.
Crossplay voice latency
Mixed PC and console squads should keep callouts short and positional ("Prowler east, crouched") because platform chat mixers add latency. See crossplay for party invite flow before blaming binds.
PS5 and Xbox controller notes
PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S layouts follow genre defaults — left stick move, right stick look, triggers aim/fire, face buttons interact — but exact mappings vary by patch and accessibility presets.
| Platform | Where to verify | Common variance |
|---|---|---|
| PS5 (DualSense) | Settings → Controller tab | Stick dead zones, aim assist, invert Y |
| Xbox Series X|S | Settings → Controller tab | Trigger swap, stick sensitivity |
| PC controller | Same in-game menu as KB+M | Steam Input may override — disable if binds double-fire |
Console sprint and crouch habits
Default left-stick click sprint on some layouts causes accidental noise spikes — consider toggling sprint mode or using crouch-walk macros only if the game allows. Never trust third-party "best PS5 controls" posts from unrelated titles.
Aim assist and iron sights
Console aim assist helps tracking jungle threats but can fight iron-sight weapons — tune sensitivity before Legendary contracts where firearm downtime during rain is punishing.
No split-screen
There is no couch co-op — each player needs their own device and copy. Controller docs here supplement crossplay invite troubleshooting, not local multiplayer.
Settings, pause menu, and accessibility
Esc opens the pause menu on PC — audio, controls, graphics, and accessibility live there. Console players use the platform-equivalent menu button.
Rebind after patches
Treat Settings → Controls as mandatory reading on patch days listed on updates. Saved configs occasionally reset when Unreal Engine input plugins update.
Audio mix for sanity
Lower music or boost voice chat if hallucination cues drown callouts — but keep enough environmental audio to hear distant enemy wake-ups. Headphones strongly recommended for proximity voice.
Accessibility options
Subtitle size, colorblind filters, and motion reduction may expand post-launch — note changes in Steam news and refresh this page's Last verified baseline when ACE Team posts accessibility notes.
Controls for cross-platform squads
Mixed Steam + PS5 + Xbox squads share the same expedition instance but not the same physical inputs — standardize callout vocabulary before blaming "bad binds" for a wipe.
Pre-drop control sync
Host sends everyone to controls (this page) and crossplay checklists: patch version match, cross-play enabled, PTT decided, sanity phrases agreed.
Platform-specific friction
PC players with wide mouse sensitivity can rotate faster than stick players — defenders with shotguns should anchor lanes instead of expecting identical flick speed from console scouts.
Demo vs full release binds
Demo clients may differ from July 15 full release builds — confirm no squadmate is still on deprecated demo executables before debugging control issues on updates.
FAQ
Does The Mound have push-to-talk?
Yes — enable PTT in audio/voice settings; recommended for crossplay households and sanity clarity.
Is voice chat proximity-based?
Yes — core to sanity guide horror; distant teammates fade out.
PS5 controls same as PC?
Same actions, different buttons — verify Controller tab; layouts vary by patch.
Why does sprint get my squad killed?
Sprint raises noise — crouch-walk stealth segments and save sprint for extracts.
Can I rebind crouch?
Yes on PC via Settings; console remapping depends on in-game and system-level options.
Controller on Steam Deck?
Steam Input may override — disable duplicates if fire/interact double-trigger.
Controls reset after update?
Common on launch week — re-check binds when updates posts a patch.
Related pages
Matched by build plan, shared topics, and guide progression — not random related links.