Contrary to early claims that the Xbox One’s controller wouldn’t be compatible with Windows PC software, Microsoft’s director of product management Albert Penello recently confirmed the controllers will work with Windows-powered PC games.
The Microsoft exec took to NeoGAF to address recent rumors that Microsoft was developing a PC specific controller for Windows and that the company had plans to lock out the Xbox One’s handle from its desktop software.
“This is 100% wrong,” Penello wrote. “When the drivers become available, they will work with the existing controllers. There is no plan to do a new, separate controller that only works on Windows. It will be the same as it is on Xbox 360 – the Xbox One controller you have today will work.
“That’s not to say that we may not ship also PC SKU of the Xbox One controller, much like we do on Xbox 360.”
Xbox One controllers will work with Windows PC in wire mode; however whether Microsoft will implement wireless compatibility is to be decided, Penello continued.
“No more updates on the timeframe beyond what’s been publicly stated,” said Penello. “The plan is this year. When the update comes out and we have more details, I can explain the holdup.”
So, there you have it. The Xbox One’s controller will eventually work the Windows. There’s no need to invest in any additional hardware if you don’t mind waiting it out.
“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,” a Microsoft spokesperson said at the time. “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.”
It’s not like Microsoft can release a software update that’ll add new functionality to its controller — oh wait.
[via NeoGAF]
