Summary
- Xbox is ending support for unauthorized third-party accessories and controllers on the Xbox Series X/S consoles, but it will still support products from official partners like Razer and Logitech.
- XIM adapters, which allow mouse and keyboard use on Xbox, will still be functional despite the ban, giving players an advantage in competitive shooters and other genres.
- The controller ban will impact cheaters and macro users, but it may also affect gamers who rely on custom fight sticks and racing setups, as support for the custom market will be cut.
Effective November 12, Xbox is ceasing support for all unauthorized third-party accessories and controllers across this generation's Xbox Series X/S line of consoles. Thankfully, this isn't a total ban on third-party peripherals.
Although reports of "error 0x82d60002" have emerged warning users attempting to use unauthorized third-party controllers on their Xbox of the upcoming ban, Xbox will continue to support products manufactured by its official hardware partners, which include Razer, Logitech, 8BitDo, and PowerA, among others. Couple that with a new Xbox controller looming on the horizon if Xbox sticks to the plans shared in its September 2023 data leak, and its peripheral market looks to remain healthy.
Xbox's upcoming controller ban also comes with a major oversight: XIM adapters, which give users the ability to connect a mouse and keyboard to their game consoles. As shared by an XIM admin in a community forum thread, its suite of products will remain functional on Xbox following the ban. With one of XIM's input adapters, users have a massive advantage over other players in genres like competitive shooters, especially when paired with aim-assist features that console shooters often ship with.
Yes, we've confirmed it with a Brook device we have on the Xbox OS version mentioned in the article (got the same message with error code). Testing MATRIX and NEXUS without any issue. Remember that XIM products don't try to reverse or circumvent security protocols. The authentication controller you use is what the console is talking directly to. - OBsIV, XIM forum administrator
Regardless of how Xbox overlooked disabling support for the XIM input adapter, the controller ban is still poised to somewhat impact cheaters throughout Xbox's library of online multiplayer games, such as macro users. Although Xbox's first-party controllers and those produced by its official hardware partners don't enable users to make custom macros of multiple button presses, bootleg Xbox accessories do. In practice, these controllers can add Street Fighter 6's Modern controls to any fighting game on the platform, be it Mortal Kombat 1 or Guilty Gear: Strive, giving players instant access to special moves and combos.
When looking at the bigger picture, what is essentially the death of the cheap, knockoff Xbox controller should be a huge win for consumers. Not every gamer stands to benefit from this evolution. Even if the best Xbox controllers keep getting better as time goes on and the Xbox peripheral market sees a net increase in quality, some gamers may lose out on the very tools that separate them from the wider gaming demographic.
Fighting game and racing sim die-hards who use an Xbox Series X/S as their primary gaming platform stand to lose the most once Xbox's controller ban comes into effect. Both genres house cottage industries that enable enthusiasts to craft custom fight sticks and racing setups built to their exact preferred spec. Although there will still be a wide selection of perfectly usable Xbox fighting game controllers following the ban, cutting support to the custom market is sure to land a blow to the core fighting game community.
How to Spot Xbox Controllers Not Included in the Ban
- There is an Xbox button on the face of the controller
- There is an Xbox logo between the left and right triggers
- Licensed accessories with the "Designed for Xbox" badge
- Xbox Adaptive Controller or devices plugged into the Adaptive Controller's USB and 3.5mm ports
Microsoft Xbox Series X
- 4K Capability
- Yes, Up to 120Hz
- Power Source
- AC Adapter
- Brand
- Microsoft
- Processing Power
- 12.16 TFLOPS (GPU)
- Storage
- 1TB custom SSD
- CPU
- 8-Core Custom AMD Zen 2-based Chip
The Xbox Series X boasts the fastest CPU and GPU configuration currently available for a current-generation console while offering 1TB of fast SSD storage for users out of the box.
It comes with an Xbox Series S|X controller, a power cord, and documentation along with a trial for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in the box.