New Xbox controller leaks with haptic feedback, motion sensors & more
thesixthaxis.comA ton of future Xbox hardware plans have leaked through another court document redaction mess up, giving real insights into MIcrosoft’s console gaming future through an internal document titles ‘Roadmap to 2030’.
While the next generation console isn’t planned until 2028, there’s big things coming in the next year, including a dramatically upgraded version of the Xbox controller, codenamed ‘Sebile’.
The controller features a striking new two-tone design with an upper and lower half, and this will enable plenty of customisation options and special editions, while the lower half appears to be a different, grippier material. However the much more exciting stuff is found inside.
The new features include precision haptic feedback using voice coil actuators that will be able to double up as loud speakers. There’s also an accelerometer for motion controls and ‘life to wake’ features. Modular thumbsticks will improve durability and repairability, while there will be a rechargeable battery included, though you can still swap this out. And for late night gamers, quieter buttons and thumbsticks will also be a blessing.
Interestingly the controller will feature three wireless connection methods. Xbox Wireless 2 will continue to connect to Xbox Series and Xbox One consoles, and there will be up-to-date Bluetooth 5.2, but the slide also notes ‘Direct-to-Cloud’, which indicates the controller will be able to pull the same latency reducing trick as the old Google Stadia controller and send inputs directly to the cloud servers.
The new controller will be coming out next May/June, leading in to new mid-generation console refreshes for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, dubbed Brooklin and Ellewood.
Sony stole a march on Microsoft with the
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