Third-party video game peripheral-maker Hyperkin is resurrecting the second iteration of the original Xbox controller — known as the Controller S — for the current Xbox One, Series X and S, and Windows 10 and 11, the company said Sunday.
The officially licensed controller features Hall Effect thumb sticks, an increasingly popular technology in video game controllers that use magnetic sensors that mitigate the downsides of potentiometer-based components. Because traditional sticks rely on physical resistance within their mechanisms, these components can wear out over time, causing “stick drift,” when your character on-screen begins to move on their own. Whereas traditional sticks use friction to measure input on the X and Y axes, Hall Effect sticks use magnetic sensors. They don’t wear out as quickly as there isn’t that same physical contact.
Stick drift is an issue that’s plagued Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series and PS5 controllers. Even the expensive Xbox Elite Series 2 controllers suffer from stick drift. With the PS5 DualSense Edge premium controller, Sony also uses potentiometer-based sticks, but has made them easily swappable.
Hyperkin includes other modern improvements like impulse triggers in the L and R buttons for added vibrational feedback, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a share button. The DuchesS comes packed with a 10-foot USB-C cable as it doesn’t support wireless functionality. This is likely because Microsoft uses its own proprietary wireless technology instead of Bluetooth for controller connectivity. At the moment, there’s only a handful of officially licensed wireless third-party Xbox controllers on the market, including the Moga XP-Ultra, PDP Victrix Pro BFG and the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra Wireless.
The DuchesS isn’t Hyperkin’s first foray into classic game controller revival. In 2018, Hyperkin brought back the original Xbox controller — nicknamed The Duke — for the Xbox One, Series X and S, and PCs. The original Xbox controller was hilariously big when it was released in 2001, and was quickly replaced by the smaller and more ergonomic Controller S, which is what the DuchesS is based on. Hyperkin also released a replica of the much-beloved Xbox 360 controller in 2022, named Xenon.
Given that the gaming peripheral market is expected to be worth $11.2 billion by 2032, according to Zion Market Research, it wouldn’t be surprising if Hyperkin continues to renew controllers of yore for nostalgic gamers to play on modern systems.
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