An In Depth Look At The New Xbox One Controller

Earlier today Microsoft posted a video, which gives gamers the deepest-yet in depth look at the new Xbox One controller.

According to the designer walking us through the new controller, this new model will see over 40 concrete updates from that of the Xbox 360. First up was a modification to the battery pack. On the Xbox 360 controller, the battery pack was bulky, and stuck out. This new controller boasts a much sleeker, hidden-battery design, which Microsoft believes will be more optimal for game play. Hundreds of models coupled with thousands of combined hours of game testing has yielded what Microsoft feels to be the best gaming controller ever made.

One of the more detailed and nuanced changes to the controller design is the special attention paid to vibration and haptic feedback. With this new model, players can expect the most realistic and sensitive vibration and feedback every displayed in a controller: Different vibration intensities for different situations, different guns, different vehicles, etc. Not only will the intensity vary, but it will vary across left and right sides of the controller depending on whether or not a vehicle is turning left, or right, or a gunman is left or right handed. Overall this new haptic detail promises to make for a much more realistic and enjoyable gaming experience.

An additional element of the new controller is its LED sensitive lights, which work in conjunction with the system’s built in Kinect camera. When gamers pass the controller across the couch to a friend, the Xbox One recognizes the switch, and using the camera, switches to the appropriate gamer profile. Couple this with the controllers ability act as both a wireless and a wired controller and gamers can situate themselves in any arrangement they like while enjoying their favorite games.

This new controller from Microsoft certainly looks promising. Let’s see how Sony responds.