Home Gaming Xbox One controller can be used on your PC…in the future

Xbox One controller can be used on your PC…in the future

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Darryn’s already given you a rundown, via video, of the new features and technical wizardry that’s gone in to the new Xbox One controller. What he hasn’t detailed though, is just how it’ll work on a PC. Right now, the wired Xbox 360 is pretty much the de facto PC controller. The Xbox One controller wont be coming in a wired configuration this time.

Because it’ll just plug straight in to your PC using a standard mini USB cable; the sort you have tons of lying about right now anyway. In fact, the controller will come with said cable, which will allow it to be used as a wired controller on the Xbox One console as well.

Unfortunately, this PC functionality probably won’t be available until some time next year, for reasons known only to Microsoft.

Speaking to CVG, an MS spokesperson said “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. 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.”

“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.

“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.”

Funny, because when I played Battlefield 4 on PC at E3, I did so using an Xbox One controller – and it worked just fine. Still, even if MS doesn’t release “official” drivers for the Xbox One controller I’m pretty sure some industrious soul will tinker a working driving together.

Sony hasn’t said if it’s DS4 will be PC compatible. The dual Shock 3 isn’t officially, but as it uses standard Bluetooth, It’s pretty easy to jigger. The dual Shock 4 would be perfect for PC, if you ask me; that touchpad could be used to do some of the mouse movements that PC gamers need to do even though they’re playing with a controller.

Last Updated: August 13, 2013

23 Comments

  1. ElimiNathan

    August 13, 2013 at 13:44

    PV…..

    Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    August 13, 2013 at 13:51

    The 360 controller is the de facto PC controller? O_O … HERESY! BURN THE WITCH!

    Reply

    • Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

      August 13, 2013 at 14:03

      Well, gamepad-type controller. Obviously you keyboard warriors are so set in your backwards ways – so you’d prefer th kb+m combo. ;P

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        August 13, 2013 at 14:17

        We’re not backwards damn it, we’re retro. That sounds much cooler. :/

        Reply

        • Troll Slayer

          August 13, 2013 at 14:28

          Hipster is more like it.

          Reply

          • HvR

            August 13, 2013 at 16:23

            No no no, hipsters like “cool” new things that don’t work properly (ie public transport, cycling to work, skinny jeans etc) so they definitely prefer the controller.

      • Thats_how_I_Troll

        August 13, 2013 at 16:26

        Backwards??? Using a mouse and KB on a PC is backwards??? I think it is the standard for puters and using the controller is backwards…Dammit!!! I’d prefer Vintage Gamers

        Reply

  3. ElNicko

    August 13, 2013 at 13:52

    blah blah blah , cant wait for M$ to do a 180 on this to ……

    Reply

    • DarthofZA

      August 13, 2013 at 14:23

      … on this to where? 😛

      Reply

      • ElNicko

        August 13, 2013 at 14:29

        hell , I dont know……this is M$ we are talking about.
        I think the biggest thing with M$ , they have made products that the market wasnt ready for. (think Tablets and Smart phones back in the day)

        Reply

    • Jakster

      August 13, 2013 at 14:29

      A 180 would be the 360 controller.

      Reply

  4. Slade Boender

    August 13, 2013 at 14:19

    Oh, is your USB ports on the Xbone different to normal USB ports? No. And your windows UI shell, any different to 8 or 7? No. So what needs to get written for what guy? Its as near as makes no difference the exact same environment. I mean at least come up with a better excuse if you going to lie to us?

    Reply

    • Weerwolf

      August 13, 2013 at 15:40

      The weird thing is that the buttons stay basically the same. I can plug in a low budget controller and use some program to just map all my keys to the correct xbox keys. Sorted. Now how does it take months to do new drivers if it is essentially the same?

      Reply

      • Slade Boender

        August 13, 2013 at 16:22

        Man you got me. I cant think of any issue. Never mind that they were running beefed PC’s for the xbone demos at E3, howd they get the controllers to work then??

        Reply

  5. Tbone187

    August 13, 2013 at 14:26

    All these moves by MS is, admittedly , making the console look quite awesome. And even outdoing the pS4 I reckon…removable kinect and now this…Somebody is doing something right there in MS…and he/she needs a bells…

    Reply

    • ElNicko

      August 13, 2013 at 14:41

      but Why did it take so much backlash from the community for this to happen ??

      Reply

    • CypherGate

      August 13, 2013 at 15:34

      Removable Kinect, but its not sold separately. Still sold together for $499.

      Reply

    • Brian Murphy

      August 13, 2013 at 17:09

      I’m not sure they’re outdoing Sony, but I’ll definitely they’ve made leaps and bounds since E3. Which is good, because competition always leads to good things. Sony’s been really quiet though, I wonder if that’s by design (ergo Microsoft hasn’t really come out with anything they need to respond too). I’m also surprised they’re managing to keep a rather tight lid on things since E3. Which is a good thing, I’m one of those types of love seeing huge bombshells dropped at the industry shows and Gamescom, TGS and GDC are a’comin.

      Reply

    • silverscorpio

      August 14, 2013 at 08:39

      Give them the Bells but they must download the bottle and glass.

      Yeah I agree. Somebody woke up there and realised that they were doing things wrong.

      Reply

  6. Brian Murphy

    August 13, 2013 at 17:01

    Keyboard/Mouse is defacto PC controller, DS3 for fighting games, and some old emulator games. There are also some steam games that can be good with a controller. But, anything that requires precision…definitely K/M.

    Reply

  7. silverscorpio

    August 14, 2013 at 08:35

    With the Xbox One Controller and Kinect coming to pc, why would I need the console itself. I can play my games with Steam and will still have a beter expierance using those peripherals than buying the console itself. (That is if Kinect works)

    Reply

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