While built-in Xbox One controller support will come to Windows 8 in an official capacity via an upcoming update, Larry ‘Major Nelson’ Hryb has offered early access to PC-compatible Xbox One controller drivers via his official website, with Microsoft’s blessing. The drivers are provided at the link below:
http://majornelson.com/2014/06/05/pc-drivers-for-the-xbox-one-controller-available-now/
All that’s required of PC gamers is to download the drivers on Major Nelson’s post, plug in an Xbox One controller via a micro-USB cable (if you own a PlayStation 4, a micro-USB cable was provided with it for its own controller), and the Xbox One controller can be immediately tested, calibrated and used in any PC game that was already compatible with an Xbox 360 controller!
Previously, players either had to buy a dedicated wired controller, or a specialized PC wireless adapter, to use Xbox 360 controllers as PC gamepads. The process with the Xbox One controller is obviously far simpler, and should alleviate potential headaches that would have previously been in place for PC gamers that wanted to use Microsoft’s own game controllers to play compatible games on their computers.
Despite Xbox One controller support only now being rolled out for PC gaming, Sony’s competing PlayStation 4’s controller has been useable as a PC gamepad since the console’s November launch, having compatible drivers automatically downloaded and installed when a PC gamer plugged the controller into their rig via micro-USB cable. With that said however, the PlayStation 4 controller has a slightly lesser range of PC compatibility in contrast to the Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers, and Sony’s controller also doesn’t function perfectly with some PC games that don’t present any issues with Xbox controllers.
So, if you’ve been itching to upgrade your Microsoft-made controller for your PC gaming endeavours, the day has finally arrived! Follow the easy steps, and have fun!
Eggplante will continue to update you on Microsoft’s gaming platforms.