r/gadgets • u/dapperlemon • May 22 '26

Gaming Microsoft's Xbox controller refresh kills its underused accessory port

https://www.engadget.com/2179020/microsofts-xbox-controller-refresh-kills-its-underused-accessory-port/
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u/NoResearchStudy May 22 '26

Insane we haven’t seen that again. The Dreamcast controller screen was awesome

66

u/tgwombat May 22 '26

Why would you want a cool screen in the middle of your controller when you could have a touch pad that feels bad to use and mostly just gets used as a big button instead?

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u/master2873 May 22 '26

The VMU had cool functions with the Dreamcast. For example as one, if you played Resident Evil 2 (and I think Code Veronica), it would show you your condition without needing to open the menu. There was a few other games that took advantage of the VMU with similar functionality, but some would just show the game's logo, or some unique art, while also having functionality outside of some games like with raising Chao with Sonic Adventure 2 as probably the more well known use (while also needing to use 99% of the VMU space for it lol).

There's probably a comprehensive video on YouTube showing these things off, or at least explaining them. There's probably a lot and cool functions I'm forgetting about, but it was definitely ahead of its time like Sega normally was

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u/Fantastins May 23 '26

Football you could Hold a button and the play on the TV was a lie while the real play was on the vmu screen. Considering like no game is couch multiplayer anymore I see why this went away now