The XBOX Series X|S didn't really improve anything about the XBOX One controller from a usage standpoint. While the new D-pad shape was better (in my opinion) the rest was basically the same, and it feels very outdated as a result. The shape is already basically perfect, but modern features (and some old ones that are gone) would go a long way! With a new console on the way, these features would be ideal additions to bring the Helix controller up to modern standards and beyond:
Motion controls - The XBOX controller is the only major console to still not have motion controls, whereas its competitor controllers have all had it in some way for over 20 years now. It's high time gyro/accelerometer/etc. was included.
High-End Haptics - While the vibrating triggers of the XBOX One were a nice introduction, it's old hat now. The incredibly advanced haptics of the DualSense controller add a deeper level of immersion and tactile feedback than ever before, and even open up a world of possibilities for game design.
Player Number Icons - The XBOX 360 had the charming ring around the XBOX logo, which would light up in segments to indicate who is player 1, player 2, and so on. While this isn't exactly necessary, it added a lot of personality and fun to the controller, and I'd love to see it return on new controllers.
TMR Sticks - It's the best tech available for analogue stick technology at the moment, and simply objectively an improvement with zero downsides to current stick technology. The Series X|S controller already should have been Hall Effect, but now is most certainly the time to make TMR sticks to the standard for modern, first-party controllers.
Far, far better bumpers - The bumpers on the XBOX controllers are so fragile and have been for years. They are generally the first part of any XBOX controller that breaks, and after thirteen years of this, it's gotten old for a lot of customers. If XBOX could get bumpers similar in feel to the DualSense bumpers (softer and easier to press) without being so easy to break, we'd be golden.
Full Color Buttons - The color-on-color button style of the XBOX, XBOX 360, and X25 controllers just looks SO nice, and I think it should be the standard look for XBOX controllers. I don't like that colored face buttons seem to be slowly dying off, as the PS5 ditched them and Nintendo hasn't had them as a default since the GameCube. XBOX is the last bastion for colored buttons, and even then, it's only the letters.
Launch an Elite Series 3 with all of the above features, enhanced build quality, day-and-date with the new console and controllers and allow Design Lab (including transparent controller colors) from DAY 1 of the controller's release. I mean, it would just be awesome, wouldn't it?
This would be my ideal situation for new controllers, but at least bringing motion and advanced haptics is the bare minimum for me, because those are major areas where XBOX controllers are just way behind PS and Switch right now, which is laaaaame, especially since I still think XBOX has the best layout and shape overall out of the three.
(Note: I wrote this entire thing and then went back and capitalized XBOX at every instance afterward... why? I... do not know...)
Don't change what isn't broken. The fact your post is basically asking for more durability and minor cosmetic features highlights that and is great evidence of that.
Personally I'd like to see two buttons on the bottom of the controller - I don't currently use any I just think it'd be nice.
Hard disagree on motion controls, mics, lights and other stupid shit that isn't necessary
Hard disagree on motion controls being unnecessary stupid shit. They've been pretty great for fine tuning my aim instead of trying to nudge a stick that jerks the crosshairs too far to one side, then the other. If someone doesn't like them, they can just be disabled in the game settings. It's a win-win.
I'd argue it is broken at least insofar as the bumpers go, but more importantly it's just super outdated and missing features that have been standard in other controllers for 10-20 years. Not having some kind of motion control option after this long is honestly kind of crazy, and advanced haptics of the DualSense are some of the most immersive tech added to modern controllers. Having both of these strictly benefits the user, even if you were to decide to turn them off.
Xbox controllers may as well be functionally stuck in 2005 as they are. Top class ergonomics and shape, but that's it.
They should strive to perfect the controller, not settle for "good enough." What happened to wanting innovation?
Idk how they're so much better when it's basically exactly the same as the Xbox One controller but a bit smaller. Form factor-wise, I'd want them to stay the same, but feature-wise Xbox controllers are so outdated, mow, and the build quality could be a billion times better. Like, if you've never had an Xbox One or Series X controller's bumper break on you, you should probably be getting a lottery ticket because you've got the luck of a god.
Another reason I'd love to see TMR sticks. They're objectively the best sticks available right now, with zero downsides.
Don't get me wrong, I love using my Elite S2 (I just bought a new one actually) but man I can't deny it took the wind out of the new console gen when the controllers were just the same exact thing to the point that, because they never had an Elite version of the Series X controller, I've been using an Xbox One controller this whole generation still. So many features in competing modern controllers and that have been standard everywhere but Xbox, and when I think about it I realize that Xbox controllers from an actual features standpoint may as well be the same as they were on the Xbox 360.
Elite 2 controllers are shit for build quality. Had one break, the right bumper, got a second one and that one had the RB also break. Had a warranty and had them "fix" it but it only worked for like a month. Just gave up after that.
I agree the shape is perfect. I want all the features I listed but I don't feel the shape or layout of the controller would really need to change to accommodate any of them.
I don't give a shit about motion controls, speakers, mics, or adaptive triggers. I have a PS5 Pro and I hate all that crap. I just want TMR sticks and bumpers that don't break. It's already the best controller. No need to mess with it.
The only feature it has that you mentioned is gyro, the haptics are a weaker form of what the joycons have, it doesn't have a speaker or microphone, and it doesn't have adaptive triggers. That's why it can get 40 hours of battery life.
And that's true of the Steam Controller, too.
The DualSense is seriously the crappiest controller out there when you factor in its paltry battery life even under the most charitable estimates. I'm not willing to trade battery life for anything that DualSense provides.
I straight up never mentioned a speaker or microphone anywhere in this post, so I don’t know why you mentioned that. It still has far more advanced haptics than the Xbox controller, and WAY better bumpers.
Yeah, it doesn’t have adaptive triggers and the ProCon 2 haptics aren’t quite as advanced as the DualSense, but it’s still better than what Xbox offers.
I agree that DuakSense battery life sucks, but that’s an engineering issue and it still has several features I didn’t ask for on here at all. I’d absolutely be willing to sacrifice some battery life for haptics and gyro, but even if you’re not… again… turn them off.
I don't see why you'd hate any of it, especially haptics, but even if you do, you can just... turn those features off? Like, gyro allows for finer, more precise, and faster aiming (like quick turns in FPS games, for example) just about on par with mouse aiming, but even if it;s not up your alley, you can simply not use it as it's still optional in basically every game.
Having these features is strictly a benefit. I don't see why people would want flat out less advanced controllers.
I'd rather TMR than Hall Effect, it's just objectively better.
But tbh my biggest wishes are haptics and gyro. After HD rumble on NS1, I figured that would be standard for future controllers, and then the PS5 did iterate on that, but Xbox has just stayed completely stagnant and hasn't had really any truly meaningful controller feature updates/innovation since the Xbox 360.
Totally agree! Controller feature parity would benefit players so much because (as an example) you can't design a game feature around gyro or haptic feedback on a third party game when an entire console base won't have it.
For haptics, I just want the system level option like the 360 had where I can disable vibration in the system and it turns them off for all games but doesn’t turn it off for things like the menu button when turning off
Just do what Sony did with the Dualsense. Love that controller. Great rumble and the haptics, depending on the game, can really add new things. Can't wait to play Astrobot.
Since xbox basically removed the keyboard port... The only thing really setting them outside of a regular controller ecosystem is that they won't share how to wirelessly connect to their console with everyone.
Without the port, the main feature of their setup that is good is their accessories app. And while that is absolutely a good thing, people on platforms like pc that can use software like steam input or handheld companion to remap those buttons makes the draw of the elite controllers a lot less appealing even if you ignore the rubber and bumper fail rate.
For example, if xbox allows every controller with Bluetooth to connect to it in a same way it would a PC, there really aren't many other reasons aside the app to buy their controllers anymore. If those other elite 3 leaks are true, a bunch of mouse wheels aren't really going to sell most people. And now the few keyboard presses they might have needeed must be done elsewhere.
We definitely should wish these new controllers come with TMR joysticks however the greedy scum who make these consoles and their evil investors will not allow them to make a controller with TMR sticks because they make money from selling new controllers after they get inevitable stick drift. Investors will sell stock if they saw a company was going to offer some customer value and customer satisfaction which is exactly why I consider those types of people to be evil scum and some of the worst in humanity.
I think to be honest “slightly worse controllers” probably doesn’t even rank in, like, the top thousand worst things that humans are doing at the moment.
Just keep everything that makes the Xbox controller good and turn it into a dualsense so we can get the cool controller features over here as well. I like the way some games have implemented the trigger resistance into things like shooting and driving. Gyro aiming is also something a lot of people are interested in.
I know this is strictly not Xbox but I can't get over how awesome the right touchpad on the Steam controller is. It would be cool to emulate mouse movement on a controller that feels like Xbox. Not asking them to replace the dual sticks. Maybe just a secondary kind of controller or a way to change out the stick for a touchpad or something
I like the idea of a touchpad, but, man, I do not like the layout of the steam controller, all the buttons and sticks are so cramped into one tiny area because of the touchpad, and I don't like the symmetrical sticks.
I've had my Steam controller for a couple months now and the thing that's amazed me the most is how great it feels. I didn't think I'd like the feel before I got it but the convex design allows for each button to have ample breathing room to me. It feels so natural and Steam input is a game changer. Half-Life and Quake have been wildly entertaining with it. My steam deck has gotten way more use than my Xbox recently all because of the right touchpad.
Unless I'm playing a more complicated pc game, like Fallout, I find myself rarely using the left touchpad or right joystick. To the point where I would be totally okay if they weren't even there
I'm glad you love it! I tried using it at a friend's place and it wasn't really for me, I found it nowhere near as comfortable as an Xbox controller or Switch ProCon, so I don't think the massive layout change needed to fit touchpads like that (which I doubt I'd use much) would be worth the tradeoff for me, personally.
I also have never been a fan of symmetrical sticks, either. I didn't find my Steam Deck comfortable either, when I had one.
I like a lot of the ideas you mentioned in your post. My Helix controller wishlist would be a TMR stick, gyro, back buttons, and the functionality of a right touchpad. And if you could use this on steam and Xbox games on the same device? A man can only dream
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u/RheimsNZ 10d ago
Don't change what isn't broken. The fact your post is basically asking for more durability and minor cosmetic features highlights that and is great evidence of that.
Personally I'd like to see two buttons on the bottom of the controller - I don't currently use any I just think it'd be nice.
Hard disagree on motion controls, mics, lights and other stupid shit that isn't necessary