Xbox One - The Controller

The Xbox 360 controller is commonly regarded as the greatest controller ever made, but with the introduction of the Xbox One, Microsoft is changing the formula with a new design and over 40 enhancements. But the problem here is whether the company managed to improve upon perfection?

One of the most notable changes are for those made to the ergonomics. The handles appear to be shorter than the Xbox 360 version, but in reality the middles surface area is just slightly wider to accommodate the new control layout and the flat batter pack. The analog sticks are slightly smaller in design and feature textured rides to support a wider range of motion. The shoulder buttons and triggers have been rounded off to blend in with the controller but reports have stated that they feel great.

Microsoft hasn't just changed the exterior of the device. The triggers now have "magnetic" sensors, which Microsoft claim offers greater precision. The buttons also have a distinctive mechanical click, which some may find preferable to a traditional membrane configuration. Critics of the Xbox 360 controller's imprecise disk-shaped d-pad will be pleased to find it has been replaced with a four-way design, which, once again, Microsoft has promised will deliver more precise controls.

The company offered tech demos of the controller's new "impulse triggers," which place small rumble motors within the triggers themselves. The company allowed attendees to try out a series of brief demos of the feedback motors, ranging from the type of sensations associated with a helicopter taking off or driving a car. The Xbox One will be capable of using both the impulse triggers and motors built into the handles to capture the rumble of an engine in your palms and bumps in the road in your fingertips. The company also discussed how the motors could create feedback unique to certain weapon types or even indicate the location of incoming hits from enemies in each corner. How developers will implement the feature into games remains to be seen but the premise is good.

Obviously the overall design and functions could be changed ahead of release as the controller shown was only a prototype. We didn’t get any information on the change data port added to the space where the chat cable used to exist or what the purpose of the replaced start and select buttons would be. It’s heavily expected that at least one of these will follow the ‘share button’ implemented on Sony’s PS4 controller. The Xbox Home button remains in place and is expected to function a lot like the Xbox 360 version.

I’m quite excited about the prospect of the Xbox One’s controller, which is something I was surprised about, considering I love the current model.