Xbox One controller support coming to PC in 2014

The Xbox 360 controller is pretty much the unofficial PC controller too, but we won't be able to jump to the Xbox One's revamped buttonbox so easily. Official PC support isn't expected until some time in 2014, as Microsoft is making sure its basic functions are backwards-compatible and its shiny new features are supported.

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The Xbox 360 controller is pretty much the unofficial PC controller too, but we won't be able to jump to the Xbox One's revamped buttonbox so easily. Official PC support isn't expected until some time in 2014, as Microsoft is making sure its basic functions are backwards-compatible and its shiny new features are supported.

"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," Microsoft told CVG.

"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."

It all sounds fair enough. Don't throw out your Xbox 360 controller just yet.

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  • reply
    August 13, 2013 8:00 AM

    Alice O'Connor posted a new article, Xbox One controller support coming to PC in 2014.

    The Xbox 360 controller is pretty much the unofficial PC controller too, but we won't be able to jump to the Xbox One's revamped buttonbox so easily. Official PC support isn't expected until some time in 2014, as Microsoft is making sure its basic functions are backwards-compatible and its shiny new features are supported.

    • reply
      August 13, 2013 8:02 AM

      Look at this shit, someone at Microsoft is on the ball this last 8 weeks, really putting poor humpty back together again

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        August 13, 2013 8:07 AM

        On the ball = at least 4 months to figure out how to get controllers to function.

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        August 13, 2013 8:14 AM

        No kidding maybe they cleaned house and dropped all the stale meat and decided for fresh new kitchen.

        With all this news lately I want to do a double take, I am really happy they are changing there ways. Still pretty scary if no one complained, PS4 etc they would of got away with it.

        Still you really have to thank all the gamers for not wanting to take it up the ass and getting screwed and thank Sony for having such a rad console and policies.

        Just remember if there was no PS4 and gamers didn't care we all would be about to live in a very different gaming world that be quit apocalyptic in my eyes. The whole thing is historical, I think there should be a official day off and a new stat and call it Red Blue pill day or something.

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      August 13, 2013 8:04 AM

      That controller is hot. I'll be excited to replace my existing 360 PC controller.

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      August 13, 2013 8:06 AM

      Cool, it is odd though the key note on the last MS conference said that any game written for Win 8 and 8.1 will work on the Xbox One in it's Win 8+ mode so one would think that it already has the driver for the controller already written.

      Huh, well either I am real happy they are supporting it they could of blocked it, still I am sure someone would of written a driver for it anyways.

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        August 13, 2013 8:10 AM

        I'm sure it works, they probably are talking about making it WiFi without a dongle perhaps?

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          August 13, 2013 8:16 AM

          Supposedly you can just plug in a cable and that'll then handle all the data, unlike the 360 where the charging cable just did power.

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            August 13, 2013 8:58 AM

            Yea, I'm talking maybe that's what their "full support" statement entails... making it work without a dongle? I knew if you plugged in a USB cable the controller shuts off its internal radio and sends everything down the wire at that point.

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      August 13, 2013 8:08 AM

      Let me guess....Windows 8 only

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        August 13, 2013 8:54 AM

        Nah, but it will definitely require a GFWL account.

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          August 13, 2013 9:10 AM

          Heh, you mean XBox Games for Windows? It would be truly Microsoftian to see them write a driver for what is ultimately a bunch of switches, digital analog sticks, and whatever the headset connection is (USB? ADC for analog audio in?), and then DRM-lock it so it only runs in Windows RT games and GFWL games. Hopefully they're not that dumb.

          How long does GFWL have left in its tank, anyway? Almost no new PC games have used it since 2011 (Gotham City Impostors went from retail GFWL to free-to-play on Steam). Games on Windows RT are a novelty that almost no indie or multiplatform devs are pursuing, mostly because of cert costs and delays.

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            August 13, 2013 10:26 AM

            Every time I think that GFWL is dead, some how I end up with another game that uses it. I would gargle Balmer's balls if they would just move all of this shit to my Microsoft account.

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      August 13, 2013 8:17 AM

      Sweet! This means the PS4 controller is almost certainly going to be PC compatible too, since Sony can't seem to resist one-upping these press releases. Bonus for us!

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      August 13, 2013 8:43 AM

      But backwards compatible is backwards thinking!

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        August 13, 2013 8:55 AM

        and werent there so many people pissed that the xbox and ps4 werent going to be BC to their previous versions?

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          August 13, 2013 9:13 AM

          Definitely, no BC was a huge thing. Although I guess Sony using Gaikai for a form of backwards compatibility eased the hatred a bit.

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      August 13, 2013 8:51 AM

      um...I'll just stick with my xbox controller on PC....

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      August 13, 2013 9:05 AM

      Cool beans, that haptic trigger support on PC racing/action games would be amazing.

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      August 13, 2013 9:13 AM

      Nice. Will definitely pick one up

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      August 13, 2013 10:17 AM

      Probably pick up two of these if it supports Windows 7. Even with a Start Menu button, way too many issues with Win 8 to even consider upgrading to it.

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        August 13, 2013 1:11 PM

        aside from the start screen what issues do you have with win8?

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          August 13, 2013 7:42 PM

          Usb printers not recognized until system restart after being plugged in... sometimes. Ui is a mess in which I am constantly switching between win7 ui and win 8 ui (I have 3 win 8 touchscreens in my lab), sometimes power down button is missing (although hibernate is always there), students have no problem running minecraft on our win7 computers and lanning, but they can't get it installed on win 8, win 7 xp task bar allows you to access multiple programs without having to minimize an app to get to the icons on Win 8 ui, corners is a dumb idea.

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      August 13, 2013 1:07 PM

      Does anyone know if the dpad is better on the xb1 controllet? Is it on par with a Nintenfo dpsd or ps dpad?

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        August 13, 2013 1:10 PM

        It's supposed to be. Last I heard it was like the "special edition" 360 controller with more improvements.

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      August 13, 2013 3:00 PM

      Wait weren't the X1 demos running on PC's?

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      August 13, 2013 3:21 PM

      I highly recommend the Logitech F710. You know, the one pictured in Steam's "check it out in Big Picture Mode" banner on a game's store page. Overall the most comfortable controller I've ever used, thanks to the rubber grips and design/positioning of the bumper/trigger buttons.

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        August 13, 2013 3:25 PM

        why not just an official MS/Sony pad?

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        August 13, 2013 4:02 PM

        I did like the feel of this controller, minus the triggers. I had issues with it losing connection for a split second (causing my character in game to spin) way way too often to be forgiven though. Switched to the Xbox 360 controller for Windows and haven't had a problem in six months. YMMV.

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        August 13, 2013 4:14 PM

        Razer Sabertooth

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        August 13, 2013 4:14 PM

        I've said it before, but my personal favorite is the Wii U Pro controller. the 360 pad has a horrible d-pad, and I dig the symmetry.

        www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Wii-U-Pro-Controller-Black/dp/B009AFLXQQ/

        And there's a dongle you can buy that allows you to use up to four of them on the PC at once, even allows you to choose between USB HID/Dinput and the Xinput used by the 360 controller:

        http://www.mayflash.com/Products/NINTENDOWiiU/W009.html

        I bought it for $15 a month ago, and it works great.

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        August 13, 2013 9:41 PM

        Still using a ps2 controller here lol

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