xbox elite controller
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Microsoft watched gamers at home to design the new Xbox Elite controller
By now, if you're an Xbox One gamer, you know that Microsoft has a pretty badass controller on the horizon. But what's truly interesting about the new Elite controller, announced at the company's major E3 press event this week, is that it's the product of several in-home research sessions. According to Xbox Hardware Project Manager David Prien, the company realized that today's gamers are all about "customization and personalization." And so Prien's team enlisted pro-gamers picked from leaderboards on the company's own Xbox titles to help mold this new modular controller design. But if you thought that the Elite controller was just for gaming's cream of the crop players, you'd be mistaken. Prien assured us that it's "not just for the pro-gamer. The idea here is that everyone can benefit from this." He also said that the hardware team had a "laundry list of over 100 feature sets," though, understandably, not all of that made it into the final design. We had an opportunity to get some close-up time with the new Elite controller here on the showfloor, so be sure to watch our interview with Prien below.
Microsoft's new Xbox Elite wireless controller has swappable parts
When you've got a good thing going, the prevailing wisdom says you shouldn't mess with it. But today, at Microsoft's E3 press event, the company unveiled a redesigned Xbox controller: the wireless Elite. The new and improved controller adds four bumper pads under the grips, a textured rolling pad that replaces the standard D-pad and hair-trigger locks for more precise control when slaying the bad guys in your shooter of choice. But what's likely the most exciting aspect of the new Elite controller is the ability to hot swap the aforementioned parts according to your personal configuration. Microsoft didn't commit to a firm launch date for the Elite controller, but you can expect it to arrive sometime this fall. Update: Microsoft's divulged more key information about its new Xbox controller, namely its price and release date. It'll be available for $150 this October. That's certainly a whole lot of cash to dole out for a new controller. But if you want those modular perks, you'll have to make peace with the price tag.
