Xbox Reveals New Dune Controller That 'Floats'

gamerant.com:

Microsoft has unveiled a unique Xbox controller that seemingly floats in the air, together with a special-edition Series S console, both styled after Dune. The debut of this distinct duo of Xbox devices coincides with the release of a Dune-themed expansion for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Limited-edition hardware has been part of Microsoft's console marketing strategy for years. Many such gadgets stemmed from collaborations between the company's subsidiaries, as was the case with the Diablo 4-themed Xbox Series X that was given away to one lucky sweepstakes winner in late 2023, following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

This time around, Xbox ended up collaborating with Warner Bros., with that partnership yielding a pair of unique devices meant to promote the upcoming release of Denis Villeneuve's second Dune movie. By far the more unusual of the duo is an Xbox controller that floats in the air, or rather its stand does. Microsoft made no attempt to clarify how this eye-catching contraption works. Given the bulky size of its sandy base, magnets seem like the likeliest explanation, assuming that the device is indeed floating in the air instead of relying on an optical illusion. Similar levitating stands are sold on Amazon for around $60, which is half the estimated retail price of this Xbox gadget.

Aside from the levitating gamepad, Microsoft's Warner Bros. collaboration also yielded a special Xbox Series S whose exhaust grill was made to resemble the planet Arrakis. It even comes with a stand shaped like the Royal Atreides Ornithopter from Dune. Neither the console nor controller will ever hit retail and have been made exclusively for the purpose of the newly announced Xbox sweepstakes, which will have but one winner.

As for some crossover creations that everyone will be able to experience, today marks the launch of the official Dune Expansion for Microsoft Flight Simulator. The free piece of DLC adds both Arrakis and the Royal Atreides Ornithopter to the