Hyperkin, the go-to for every third-party peripheral that a first-party should make but never will make (i.e. the Ultra Game Boy shown off last week) is also making something unique for original Xbox fans.
“The Duke” is the loving name given by fans to the very first Xbox controller. Nearly the size of a large dinner plate, Xbox’s first controller had massive grips , spaced-out buttons, and was a reason that the console failed to take off in Japan from its early stages. (A lack of titles in genres that are much more popular in Japan probably also had something to do with it.)
Hyperkin is reviving the controller, right down to its striped top plate (sans the memory slots) with a peripheral unapologetically named “The Duke.”
Button layout is identical to the original controller, though the company had to be crafty and add in small Right and Left Buttons as this controller is compatible with Xbox 360 and Xbox One, as well as PC.
There’s also no wireless in this new version of The Duke, but that is likely due to the power draw for the all-new OLED screen that sits in place of the original Xbox jewel. It plays the familiar original Xbox startup animation when booted up, and is said to also be able to display other content, though this is more up to Microsoft than Hyperkin, as games would have to be coded to recognize the peripheral and send data to it.
Microsoft did give their proper approval to Hyperkin for the remake of the controller as it wasn’t something they felt they should produce in house but was still worthy of some store shelves.
Clearly, they’re right; there’s huge demand on Twitter for the thing as touted by Godfather of the original Xbox, Seamus Blackley.
THE NEW DUKE CONTROLLER is available at the END OF MARCH for $69.99 And what a wonderful moment! Thanks @XboxP3 Thanks @Hyperkin!!! pic.twitter.com/KB9C6BYxCe
— Seamus Blackley (@SeamusBlackley) January 12, 2018
Hyperkin is hoping to launch The Duke in March at a price of $70.