8BitDo initially caught my eye a number of years in the past because of its retro aesthetic and nice battery life. However, its simple high quality has stored me coming again to check out new merchandise as they launch. The C64-themed mechanical keyboard seems to be glorious and the retro mechanical num pads are a cute oddity, whereas the Ultimate Bluetooth controller is a powerhouse with a superb really feel and nice connectivity.
It appears I’m not the one one who’s a fan of 8BitDo, as Microsoft has just lately introduced a novel partnership with the corporate, using its skills within the new Lite SE Xbox controller. Entirely flat, with an included dongle for two.Fourth Generation wi-fi connectivity, it has two jacks on the high of the controller to plug in Super Buttons. These are huge immediately programmable buttons which can be utilized to shortly entry any controls you may in any other case wrestle with.
The controller itself is much like the unique 8BitDo Lite, besides with fewer buttons and with Xbox’s iconic imagery. It has additionally been upgraded with delicate Hall Effect joysticks and “low-resistance buttons”, making them simpler to maneuver for these with low mobility. It’s obtainable proper now for $60 on Amazon. However, it is not the one new accessible controller introduced by Microsoft.
The Xbox Adaptive Joystick is a brand new controller element launching in 2025. It’s primarily a small distant with a USB-C adapter on the backside and 6 buttons, which may be plugged into an Xbox or PC straight. This Adaptive Joystick is kind of much like the PDP One-Handed Joystick (and, extra clearly, a Nintendo Wii Nunchuk), that Microsoft dropped official help for again in 2022. To even discover point out of PDP’s effort on the Microsoft web site, you must entry an archive of it.
In an advert saying the Xbox Adaptive Joystick, the precise use of this controller is proven off, with a handful of customers for example. If you wrestle to carry an Xbox Core controller, you possibly can remap buttons and even pair the Adaptive Joystick with the Xbox Adaptive Controller from 2018. Alternatively, the Xbox web site reveals somebody utilizing the controller with their neck—customized 3D-printed thumb grips hooked up. All adaptive thumbstick toppers may be discovered within the Xbox Design lab proper now.
Finally, the Byowave Protus Controller is out there for order, which is a package to primarily construct your personal controller from modular elements. All buttons and sticks may be swapped out and you’ll uniquely customise the controller to work for various hand shapes, sizes, and mobility ranges. Though it is fairly costly at $300, its unbelievable ranges of customization might make it important for some avid gamers.
