From a stranger in a field dominated by Japanese companies to one of the most notable players in the gaming field, Microsoft had a long journey with the Xbox. The original console launched to compete with the PS2, Dreamcast, and Game Cube wasn’t the most successful but certainly was the company’s starting point in a successful journey. The classic Xbox is still alive in the minds of the most nostalgic fans, and the third-party video game peripheral maker Hyperkin is bringing the second iteration of the Xbox controller back to the world of living! The new controller dubbed DuchesS is coming for the Xbox One, Series X and S, and Windows 10 and 11. It brings the classic vibes of the Xbox’s early days.
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Hyperkin Pays Homage to Xbox’s classic Controller S with the DuchesS
The licensed controller comes with Hall Effect thumb sticks. It’s an increasingly popular tech in video game controllers that use magnetic sensors that mitigate the downsides of potentiometer-based components. Since traditional sticks rely on physical resistance within their mechanics, they can wear out over time, causing “stick drift”, when your character on-screen begins to move on their own. Unlike traditional sticks that use friction to measure input on the X and Y axes, the Hall Effect stick uses magnetic sensors. They don’t wear out as quickly as there isn’t the same physical contact.
The Hyperkin DuchesS includes modern improvements like impulse triggers in the L and R buttons. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack and a share button. Unfortunately, it seems that DuchesS went too far in making this a classic controller. It has a long USB-C cable and does not support wireless connectivity. Perhaps, this is because Microsoft uses its wireless tech instead of Bluetooth, so third parties can’t replicate this functionality.
Details about the pricing and availability are yet to be disclosed.
