Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows now available

It sure took its own sweet time to make it to market -- we first saw this thing at E3 in 2006 -- but the Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows is finally available for purchase. The adapter lets you use your standard wireless 360 peripherals, such as the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller and Wireless Headset, with your Windows PC. That means Windows users, which have been enjoying the fruits of a USB 360 controller since before the console launched, can finally get in on some wireless action, and it'll only cost them $20 for the privilege. It also means that much more fun for upcoming Games for Windows titles such as Shadowrun, UNO and Halo 2, along with generic game controls and VoIP functionality. Microsoft is also releasing a $60 package which includes a receiver and a wireless controller. Both items should be available at retail now.

[nate @ Feb 21st 2007 5:33PM]

This is been available in my area for a very long time now.....like months.....

[Nick @ Feb 21st 2007 5:36PM]

craptacular

[TRicKo @ Feb 21st 2007 5:38PM]

I've had this for 2-weeks, it's fantastic. The best accessory, the XBox 360 Wireless Headset. I'm running Vista Ultimate x64 and it has all the drivers built-in. True Plug and Play, in less than 3 minutes I had the adapter installed, the wireless headset connected, and tuned it for Windows Live Messenger and was giving audio commands to Vista. You absolutely cannot beat this deal. $80 for a wireless headset and mic for Windows Live and Speech Recognition. Now that makes me say WOW. This is a hot product slipping way under the Radar.

[raaaaaa @ Feb 21st 2007 5:48PM]

where? it is not on bestbuys or curcuit citys site or in there stores

[Gabe McGuinness @ Feb 22nd 2007 12:21AM]

I got it at Circut City a week and a half ago...

[KineticOnline @ Feb 21st 2007 5:49PM]

Will it let me hear anything from the PC or just chat etc?

[TRicKo @ Feb 21st 2007 5:55PM]

You hear everything on your PC when the wireless headset is connected. It's just like connecting headphones.

[TRicKo @ Feb 21st 2007 5:56PM]

try ebgames.com

[Jim @ Feb 21st 2007 5:56PM]

So, could I buy this and a 360 wireless controller and play Half-Life 2 with it? Would I even want to? Seriously, I want to know. I have a craptacular USB gamepad that I hate.

[TRicKo @ Feb 21st 2007 7:02PM]

Yes, Windows sees the wireless devices as connected devices. Once you connect, it's just another joystick to Windows. All the wireless accessories will work including the racing wheel and headset. You can have up to 4 devices and 1 headset I believe, it could be 4 and 4.

[Zach @ Feb 21st 2007 6:03PM]

I'm actually impressed! I use my S-Box controller as my PC controller and I love it. I've always wanted the 360s controller for my PC, and now I can finally have it :)

[Ben @ Feb 21st 2007 6:47PM]

It has been available here in Australia for a few weeks. I loved the USB 360 controller for a lot of my PC racing games and whatnot. It's great to now go wireless. Especially the wireless headset, I have used that the most with Live messenger.

[Z @ Feb 21st 2007 7:12PM]

They should make this receiver the size of a thumb drive to keep a person's work space tidy. I can't stand receivers with cords.

[Eh @ Feb 21st 2007 7:22PM]

Next up: Making drivers with actual customization and functionality. It sucks not being able to set the deadzone or customize buttons for games that dont support the triggers and dpad. If they are seriously expecting games to support the 360 controller in order to get the "games for windows" logo then they better put forth some damn effort and make the drivers comparable to other controllers for PC's.

[Kevlar @ Feb 21st 2007 9:15PM]

@Eh:

Part of the "Games for Windows" license requires that the game be supported by the xbox 360 controller (wireless or not), out of the box. There should be no tweaking required, and therefore no hassle. If your game isn't a "Games for Windows" licensed game, then they don't get the functionality.

Since "Games for Windows" is being developed to make PC Gaming more like console gaming, it comes as no surprise. What you're suggesting would be like saying "I want to be able to remap buttons and adjust the deadzone or microphone sensitivity on my xbox." It is completely unnecessary, and detracts from the experience.

[Matthew @ Feb 21st 2007 9:06PM]

My roommate just got this to play Mugen on the PC, works great! Although he got screwed with the price, both Bestbuy and Walmart here were selling it for $30. I think someone is pocketing some money.

[Gross Greg @ Feb 21st 2007 9:17PM]

I agree with nate (#1) - I saw this on the shelves of a local Walmart (Pittsburgh, PA) about four weeks ago.

[zach @ Feb 21st 2007 10:13PM]

What about a way to switch input signals between the 360 and the PC on the fly via a button on the gamepad? It's great that there is finally a cross-platform controller, but I'd like to be able to switch input between the two just by moving my fingers, not my ass (I'm clinically couchridden, fyi).

I mean, there's no way I can be the only person who wants to play Final Fantasy XI and control three separate chracters on three separate platforms simultaneously with one controller.

[z3razerviper @ Feb 21st 2007 10:37PM]

I just picked one of these up and it works great with 64 bit vista. The wireless headset even works with it. :)

[Skeg8 @ Feb 21st 2007 10:54PM]

I have had this for a few weeks now, ordered on Amazon. It works great, but still no force feedback drivers and no control over dead-zones or anything like that.

[Martyman @ Mar 6th 2007 4:24PM]

What do you mean by dead-zones? This junk doesn't use a line-of-sight connection does it? I thought it was RF...

[omoks @ Feb 21st 2007 11:34PM]

Amazon is selling it for $16

[Kojak @ Feb 22nd 2007 9:00AM]

You can get them at Wal-Mart and Target. Also, by them on Amazon.com for $16.99. Anyways, I have one and it works great with Vista!

[javier.guillermo @ Feb 22nd 2007 1:45PM]

I bought it from amazon a couple weeks ago. Amazing, only $20 bucks and you can use all your XBox controllers, even the wheel, on any PC game. No calibration, everything works super sweet. Finally the PC is starting to have good controllers!

[andrew @ Feb 23rd 2007 2:32PM]

could I use an xbox 360 controller with an emulation program like MAME? I have my pc hooked up to my tv, and would like to play old games with this controller. Does it only work when running a "game" or can I sue it in windows?

[James @ Feb 23rd 2007 6:16PM]

I'm pretty pissed off -- I got mine yesterday, and as a previous poster implied, there are problems with the drivers. It seems to be pretty stable at detecting the dongle, and connecting controllers, but that's about all it does.

It has a status app which... tells you how many controllers are connected. And their battery status. And that's about it. Your Guide button, which would of course be incredibly useful for a full-featured status/navigation/app-launcher tool, brings up this useless tiny little widget, and cannot be mapped to do anything else.

The left stick is X/Y, and the right stick is XROT/YROT -- normal, right? The triggers are mapped in the worst way possible in the history of computing: pulling one increments the Z axis, while pulling the other decrements it. What does pulling *both* do? If you guessed "they cancel each other out", go to the head of the class! And of course, you can't remap them. In Devil May Cry 3, for some reason, the *right* stick moves your character, and as stated I'm 2 buttons short of a full loadout. URGH! I hope MS steps up to the plate to fix this soon, or that some enterprising soul releases more robust drivers. I really want to love this thing, but they're making it hard.

[kyle @ Feb 25th 2007 10:46AM]

I have an xbox 360 and I'm so exited I'm saving my money to get one.Reply if you are also exited and if you have star wars battlefront 2 so we can play it together.

[andrew @ Feb 26th 2007 2:39PM]

i meant to type, can I USE it in windows?

[Steve @ Feb 28th 2007 6:44AM]

You can buy it at Amazon for $16.99:

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-Wireless-Gaming-Receiver-Windows/dp/B000HZFCT2