The current controllers used by the Xbox One and PS4 - despite all the improvements and features they possess - are still lacking when it comes to giving players the tools needed to fine tune the controller's look, feel, and performance. In online multiplayer games, where responsive controls and accurate button presses are the difference between winning and losing, having a controller that "fits" the player perfectly is key.
When it comes to games that require precision, the mouse and keyboard are often said to be the better option instead of a gamepad. It's faster, far more accurate, and allows people to change their controls to better suit them. First-person shooters are always said to be the genre that benefits the most from more accurate controls, and since games like Halo and Call of Duty are still incredibly popular on the current hardware, the Xbox One controller and DualShock 4 need to keep up.
We will have to wait and see if Sony does anything to improve the PS4's controller, but Microsoft has already taken the necessary steps to further improve its own wireless controller - and in a way that surpasses the incremental changes seen in the recent controller redesign.
During its E3 2015 press conference earlier today, Microsoft revealed the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller, which hopes to offer all the customization and button tweaking gamers have been asking for. And as an added bonus, it works with both the Xbox One and PC.
[HTML1]
The Xbox Elite controller, as described by Xbox Boss Phil Spencer, is "an elite controller for the elite gamer." It features the recently implemented 3.5 mm headset jack, Hair Trigger Locks for faster shooting, four paddles on the bottom for more precise driving, remappable buttons, and swappable thumbsticks and D-pads - just in case the current ones don't "feel" right, or you need something more responsive while playing, say, Killer Instinct.
Upon its release, the newly designed controller will come with three thumbsticks, two D-pads, two lengths of paddles for people to swap between, as well as a convenient carrying case.
As confirmed by Larry Hryb on Twitter, the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller is scheduled to release this Fall, but pricing for it has yet to be given. It's also unknown if this controller will be packed in with any future Xbox One bundles that may include Forza 6 or Halo 5: Guardians - two games that definitely demand a certain level of accuracy.
How do you feel about the Elite controller? Some may say it's a bit much, but it's just as likely that others will come to prefer this controller over the rest.
