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Microsoft will bring Xbox One controllers to PC in 2014

Microsoft looking to add PC support for the Xbox One controller while maintaining existing compatibility with games made for Xbox 360 pad.

346 Comments

Microsoft's Xbox One controllers with work with the PC in 2014, the company has said.

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The company is working to create a driver that allows compatibility with current PC games which support the Xbox 360 controller, with a Microsoft representative confirming to CVG that entirely new drivers have to be created for the Xbox One controller.

"As we've stated, the Xbox One controller, although it looks similar in many ways, shares no underlying technology with the current Xbox 360 controller," said Microsoft.

"New wireless protocol, combined with the ability to work in 'wired' mode, and the addition of features like Impulse triggers, means that new software has to be written and optimized for the PC," added the company.

"There is also some work that we need to do to make sure that existing PC games that support the Xbox 360 controller, will work with the Xbox One controller. While it seems trivial, it's actually quite a bit of dedicated work for all that to be seamless for the user."

Microsoft has said that it has spent "hundreds of millions" designing the Xbox One controller.

"We know people want to use the Xbox One controller on their PC, and we do too--we expect to have the functionality available in 2014," concluded Microsoft.

Microsoft has recently said that the Xbox One will not require a connected Kinect in order to function.

The Xbox One will be released this November for $499/€499/£425. The controller will be sold for $60.

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Avatar image for asitodoasi7887
asitodoasi7887

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niceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

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GothikaGeist

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Awesome! I like using my 360 controller on PC from time to time glad they are adding support for it in 2014. Hell, I'm glad they said it wasn't compatible with PC, i would've bought one without knowing.

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alhussainnaseer

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Edited By alhussainnaseer

wow

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Captcrappypants

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why not make exclusive : free xbone one for all PC users who buy controller, the only way i see myself ever getting one.

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Captcrappypants

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nice idea, this will do nicely for new GTA type of gaming. Though I can already use my PS3 controller on my PC. :)

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Avatar image for drgribb
drgribb

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So for pc users, this just means more sloppy..."ports!, ports!, port-port-port-ports!, ports!, port-port-port-ports!"...?

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Valen_Ca

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Here is what I don't get, the Xbox One runs a portion of Windows 8 as part of the OS and it is X86/64, I don't understand why it doesn't work out of the box, at least on 8.

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slowram

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@Valen_Ca Good point, key thing I can think of is the 360 backward compatibility as that wouldn't be needed for XB1. Also Win 8 may need an update to support the new driver, who's to say the XB1 is not running a newer version of win8 like the upcoming 8.1 version. Also may not be worth hassle of saying it works on win 8 only to have win 7 users bitch - may be best to wait and release simultaneously.

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Avatar image for Unfallen_Satan
Unfallen_Satan

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I wish Sony would make a driver for PS3 or 4 controller on the PC. Good ideas are worth copying.

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Captcrappypants

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Edited By Captcrappypants

@Unfallen_Satan There is software out there already, i use ps3 controller on pc for some gaming. google and you shall find

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Avatar image for Unfallen_Satan
Unfallen_Satan

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@Captcrappypants I'd feel better with an official Sony one.

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LordSashev

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@Unfallen_Satan i think they can't because as far as i know,microsoft has banned all controller that are not Xbox related, the same thing is with the Razer Onza,why is it Xbox design, because if its not i wont be available for PC

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slowram

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@LordSashev @Unfallen_Satan No, anyone can program a driver. Download MS Driver SDK and get your Visual Studio C++ and go to town. Hardware vendor just has to have desire to have someone develop driver for Windows and apparently Sony doesn't have that desire - seems odd to me as I'd bet they would sell plenty of controllers to pc users, course then you also have to get game developers on board (at least for games that don't support button mapping in game). I'd imagine it would be worth the effort for Sony with the gain in controller sales, but maybe they dislike MS too much to consider it.

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Avatar image for Unfallen_Satan
Unfallen_Satan

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@LordSashev That sounds like something MS might do, similar to IE on Windows years back, but I'd think they wouldn't risk anti-trust lawsuit over something like PS controller on Windows based PC.

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Erebus

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Great news!

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Jedilink109

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How frickin hard is it to write a driver? It's not some guy doing it all by himself, it's frickin Microsoft. Eh, whatever. I'd probably get a high quality 3rd party controller anyway (like the Razer Sabretooth) since there are some that are way nicer than the official controller in the first place.

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slowram

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Edited By slowram

@Jedilink109 It's mind boggling isn't it? A company with tons of skilled employees. Instead (likely) some unpaid enthusiast will give us a driver first. Amazing how inefficient big corporations tend to be.

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pa_amb_tomaquet

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just download motioninjoy and use whatever you want.

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broly1800

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R.I.P. XBOX ONE .................

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ModdersDepth

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@broly1800 lmfao whatever, R.I.P your narrow ignorance whats to hate... honestly oh let me guess you'll say the Kinect... awesome! hate something YOU NEVER TRIED YET! :) lol go buy a foreign *** console then... lol I'll be on Xbox One with dedicated servers, cloud support, and multitasking, pc apps syncing to my xbox one, Microsoft office on xbox one.... must I go on!! I mean Skype... its a closed done deal! Microsoft wins hands down... sony's will always be the underdog to Microsoft, especially company size way and budget wise :)

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Inlex

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Dear world,

Please scratch everything we have said prior to E3 about ANYTHING and insert new truth here.

sincerely,

Micro$oft

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bunchanumbers

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I hope they make a wired version for pc. I don't wanna have to glue a freaking mini usb cord to it to make it wired.

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chibi-acer

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The new controller sounds amazing. Microsoft recently released a video with Major Nelson and one of the hardware devs who worked on it (wish they had shown that kind of stuff at E3).

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Sorciere_basic

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Cool. I was going to buy an Xbone, keep the controller, and throw away the console, but this works too.

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ModdersDepth

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@Sorciere_basic either way their still getting your money hater :)

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Captcrappypants

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@Sorciere_basic still going to buy an xbone just so I can throw it away...saving the planet everyway i can

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chibi-acer

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@Sorciere_basic LOL, nice one.

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Yulaw2000

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Sounds good, provided they don't restrict it to Win 8.

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Jebril

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@Yulaw2000 I wouldn't be surprised if a Linux driver for the controller came before the official one.

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chibi-acer

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@Yulaw2000 Don't worry, Windows 8.1 releases this October. :)

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LordSashev

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@chibi-acer @Yulaw2000 wow imagine that .... that would suck xD i would rather buy the xbox360 controller then :)

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Halloll

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Edited By Halloll

Flight stick is where its at, can also double as a fighting stick (sorta).

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Reuwsaat

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Well, they had to sell something during the next seven years. Looking forward to it, the controller from the 360 was a really good acquisition.

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lucivar1

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Better than Phony rehashing a PhonyStation 3 controller and adding a flashlight feature.

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cnx2022

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YAWN.

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Moonco

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Edited By Moonco  Moderator

This is great news. I hope the new D-pad is a lot better than the 360 for retro gaming and that we can buy a wired version

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chibi-acer

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Edited By chibi-acer

@Moonco All XB1 controllers are wireless/wired. You plug in a USB cable and it disables the wireless radio and charges the controller. Also, the D-pad is supposed to be way better (and yeah, we've heard that before). It's a true cross with pressure clicking pads under it, no more floating disc.

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punkrockjack

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Any chance they'll add OSX support? It'd be nice if there was an official driver for those of us who do some gaming on Macs :)

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FreddieBootleg

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@punkrockjack Who actually games on OSX? :) My fancy $1,500 iMac sucks for gaming.

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punkrockjack

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Edited By punkrockjack
@FreddieBootleg I do most of my gaming on consoles, but I'll play indie and/or other games which might not make it to consoles, on my Mac; you'd be surprised how many make it over. For these lighter titles, they run great. Even Diablo 3 and Starcraft 2 run really well on mine.
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punkrockjack

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@FreddieBootleg Maybe the newer Macs are somewhat more adept? My setup has 16GB of RAM, a quad 2.5ghz CPU, 1GB Video Card, and an SSD, so it might be a little beefier than some. It's able to run all the games I play on high~ultra (Diablo 3, Starcraft 2, Portal 2, Dragon Age Origins, and some indie games). Some ports suck though, like Sims 3; what a pile of crap!

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FreddieBootleg

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@punkrockjack That's awesome. A friend with an older Mac said he was playing Diablo. I just can't imagine a decent videocard being inside what looks like an aluminum small HDTV. I have a GTX570 in my PC so outside of Super Meat Boy I haven't tried gaming on the Mac.

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Needles-Kane

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Awesome news that we can keep depending on a single controller PC gaming can get behind. Having the 360 controller plug and play for tons of games has really made PC gaming better for me.

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Bowser05

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Cool. I'm all for it.

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Goddammitj

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I have a feeling somebody will build a driver within days that will make it work pretty well. The wonders of PC land and its generous smart peoples.

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AlphaWolF_J

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Edited By AlphaWolF_J

ARE these guys desperate for attention or what!

KEEP EM WE ALREADY GOT THE BEST CONTROLLERS YOU CAN GET!.

like ps3 controllers.

logitech g25's .

game mouses.

flightsticks.

the list is endless

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Avatar image for Vegamyster
Vegamyster

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@AlphaWolF_J PS3 controllers are meh.

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aovannor

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Edited By aovannor

@AlphaWolF_J LOL the 360 controller is probably the most used controller on the PC (except for keyboard and mouse of course). Game interfaces are designed around it.. and I use one, it works perfectly. I can not ever see the point of getting a different controller.

PS3 controller triggers are shit and for many the left stick is in the wrong place, G25 isn't even a standard controller so I don't know what you bring it up for.. same for Mice and Flightsticks. All of those, except the PS3 controller, are used for DIFFERENT THINGS.

Don't bring the console war into the PC controller arena. It's obvious that's what you are doing with your first sentence. 360 controllers are an extremely good piece of kit to have on your PC desk. Kicking back with your feet up and your xbox controller, if the game allows it, is much much more satisfying than sitting with your claws out in the toilet seat position all the time.

Here's hoping the XBone controllers are just as good.

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jd7904

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Why wait for MS. I'm sure some guys will have it working within a month of release wired at least. They did with the Wii U controller Pro.

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