Mighty Mouse scroll ball not working on Ventura

FWIW, I still have a few A1152 mice laying around from the distant past. I checked two of them, the scroll ball works with one of them on an iMac Pro running Ventura 13.1, one doesn't. I do remember the scroll ball was the first thing to fail back in the day.

To answer this specific aspect of " Or is this just a fundamental Apple doesn't care about old peripherals when making their new OS sort of thing? "

Apple Designs versions of macOS or iOS to function as intended as defined by Apple

Apple does not design their Operating Systems to match / function with Third Party Devices

That is the function of the Manufacturer.

To make their Devices meet the requirements of Operating System on which it is used.

P. Phillips wrote:

Apple does not design their Operating Systems to match / function with Third Party Devices

The Mighty Mouse - A1152 IS an Apple device.

I must apologize 😔 for my earlier reply to your question.

I missed the key element " USB Mac Mighty Mouse model A1152 "

Will endeavour to perform at a higher level