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Microsoft Releases Xbox One Controller Drivers for Windows

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Games that support Xbox 360 controllers will work automatically.

It's now possible to use an Xbox One controller on your PC. Microsoft released PC drivers for the controller on Major Nelson's blog today.

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Games that already natively support the Xbox 360 controller will seamlessly support the Xbox One controller, as well.

You cannot, however, use the existing wireless dongle to use the controller wherever you'd like. Instead, the Xbox One controller must be connected with a micro USB cable to your PC.

That last wrinkle means it's not much use to me, but I'm glad to see support's finally arrived.

Patrick Klepek on Google+
Filed under:
Xbox One
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109 Comments

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qlanth

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Too little too late. Anyone that's serious about using controllers on PC is already using Dualshock 4 (or even 3) on PC instead of fidgeting with batteries for xbox controllers.

You don't need batteries to use the XBone controller on PC. Plugs in with a micro USB cable. Used it play watch dogs last night and it worked flawlessly.

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Tychoid

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Edited By Tychoid
@nightriff said:

@tychoid said:

I literally JUST bought a DS4 yesterday to replace the 360 one i use for my PC...... ugh. Well, here's to hoping the DS4 is a better controller than the xbone controller. And that the MacGyver'd drivers for it aren't jenky.

I use the DS4 on my PC and while in the beginning I ran into a ton of issues, the community drivers have worked perfectly for me since Feb/Mar. I feel like a lot of people prefer the DS4, but there are quite a bit of people who do like the XBO controller.

Just got my DS4 in the mail a few hours ago. I really like the feel of the DS4 over the 360 controller, but the community drivers are indeed still super janky:

  • I have to manually pair through Bluetooth using a convoluted process every single time I want to use the controller wirelessly
  • Straight up doesn't work with about 25% of games I have tested it with (Lords of Shadow 2, Metal Gear Rising)
  • No working rumble
  • All games that I that it works with that I have tested show keyboard/generic gamepad button prompts (e.g. "Press button 9"), and not xbox 360 button prompts

Looks like the 360 or xbone controller will still be choice #1 for people who want hassle-free compatibility. Here's to hoping the DS4 gets better PC support in the future.

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nightriff

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Edited By nightriff

@tychoid said:

Just got my DS4 in the mail a few hours ago. I really like the feel of the DS4 over the 360 controller, but the community drivers are indeed still super janky:

  • I have to manually pair through Bluetooth using a convoluted process every single time I want to use the controller wirelessly
  • Straight up doesn't work with about 25% of games I have tested it with (Lords of Shadow 2, Metal Gear Rising)
  • No working rumble
  • All games that I that it works with that I have tested show keyboard/generic gamepad button prompts (e.g. "Press button 9"), and not xbox 360 button prompts

Looks like the 360 or xbone controller will still be choice #1 for people who want hassle-free compatibility. Here's to hoping the DS4 gets better PC support in the future.

Sorry to hear that, I've had no issues with the DS4 since I've used it and only had one game give me a little problem but when I looked up issues all controllers had problems with the game. All I can say is I use a wired set up but I understand wanting to use a wireless one.

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clapmaster

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@saltank said:

Great news. My wired 360 controller took a few tumbles to the floor after playing Dark Souls II, so it's high time to upgrade.

I just hope the 2.8m cable is long enough, unlike the 1.5m cables that came with my ps3/ps4 and annoy the hell out of me. What was Sony thinking? Such a minor thing. I feel like they're lacking respect for customers, and purely out of protest I refuse to spend any more money on a longer cable.

They have 6 and 10 feet cables on amazon between $4-$6.

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clapmaster

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Edited By clapmaster

@tychoid said:
@nightriff said:

@tychoid said:

I literally JUST bought a DS4 yesterday to replace the 360 one i use for my PC...... ugh. Well, here's to hoping the DS4 is a better controller than the xbone controller. And that the MacGyver'd drivers for it aren't jenky.

I use the DS4 on my PC and while in the beginning I ran into a ton of issues, the community drivers have worked perfectly for me since Feb/Mar. I feel like a lot of people prefer the DS4, but there are quite a bit of people who do like the XBO controller.

Just got my DS4 in the mail a few hours ago. I really like the feel of the DS4 over the 360 controller, but the community drivers are indeed still super janky:

  • I have to manually pair through Bluetooth using a convoluted process every single time I want to use the controller wirelessly
  • Straight up doesn't work with about 25% of games I have tested it with (Lords of Shadow 2, Metal Gear Rising)
  • No working rumble
  • All games that I that it works with that I have tested show keyboard/generic gamepad button prompts (e.g. "Press button 9"), and not xbox 360 button prompts

Looks like the 360 or xbone controller will still be choice #1 for people who want hassle-free compatibility. Here's to hoping the DS4 gets better PC support in the future.

Look for the drivers from scarlet.crush. He makes DS3 and DS4 drivers and they pretty much just emulate xinput from the 360 pad so the controllers work with any game that a 360 controller works with, USB or Bluetooth. The DS4 thumbsticks still don't feel quite as good as the Xbone pad but good enough and those drivers work great. Overall I think the DS3 and Xbox One controller feels best for PC.

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nightriff

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nightriff

@clapmaster said:

@tychoid said:
@nightriff said:

@tychoid said:

I literally JUST bought a DS4 yesterday to replace the 360 one i use for my PC...... ugh. Well, here's to hoping the DS4 is a better controller than the xbone controller. And that the MacGyver'd drivers for it aren't jenky.

I use the DS4 on my PC and while in the beginning I ran into a ton of issues, the community drivers have worked perfectly for me since Feb/Mar. I feel like a lot of people prefer the DS4, but there are quite a bit of people who do like the XBO controller.

Just got my DS4 in the mail a few hours ago. I really like the feel of the DS4 over the 360 controller, but the community drivers are indeed still super janky:

  • I have to manually pair through Bluetooth using a convoluted process every single time I want to use the controller wirelessly
  • Straight up doesn't work with about 25% of games I have tested it with (Lords of Shadow 2, Metal Gear Rising)
  • No working rumble
  • All games that I that it works with that I have tested show keyboard/generic gamepad button prompts (e.g. "Press button 9"), and not xbox 360 button prompts

Looks like the 360 or xbone controller will still be choice #1 for people who want hassle-free compatibility. Here's to hoping the DS4 gets better PC support in the future.

Look for the drivers from scarlet.crush. He makes DS3 and DS4 drivers and they pretty much just emulate xinput from the 360 pad so the controllers work with any game that a 360 controller works with, USB or Bluetooth. The DS4 thumbsticks still don't feel quite as good as the Xbone pad but good enough and those drivers work great. Overall I think the DS3 and Xbox One controller feels best for PC.

These are the drivers I use for my DS4 and as I said little to no issue @tychoid, hope you can get them working.

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Wolf3

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This is bizarre they're on Nelson's blog...hopefully they'll get stuck the correct places soon.

Guess this answers the question about whether or not the One pad works through USB!

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I've been using my spare Xbone controller to play games the past week, and I'm enjoying it. Actually tempted to buy another controller just for use on my PC.