There’s no shame in missing the chonky controllers from the 90s and early aughts.
Even Hyperkin is on your side and wants to remake the original Xbox controller that most of us grew up playing Halo and Fable on. We’ve come a long way from the first Xbox’s Controller S design that looks wildly bloated compared to the modern gamepads we have now. Still, I’m willing to bet some of us want to relive that nostalgia, ergonomic design be damned. Even better, Hyperkin’s upcoming DuchessS controller will have some much-needed upgrades with Hall effect joysticks and triggers, as first reported by The Verge.
To fully appreciate Hyperkin’s DuchesS name for its controller in development, we have to take a brief stop to revisit Xbox history. When Microsoft released the first Xbox back in 2001, some early North American customers received the even chunkier Duke controller, while Japan received the smaller sibling, the Controller S. After people saw the Controller S’ design, it became the default controller for all Xbox consoles moving forward. Still, the controversial Duke design is alive and well, made possible by none other than Hyperkin.
Keeping the Original Look
Getting back to the DuchesS, Hyperkin will be going with Hall effect joysticks and triggers for its revamped design. If you’ve ever dealt with stick drift, the DuchesS won’t fall victim to the same fate since its internal components won’t ever come into contact with each other.
To further modernize the DuchesS, Hyperkin threw in the Share button in the middle of the controller while adding a USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Since it’s a refreshed version, the DuchesS will also work with the latest devices, including the Xbox Series X and S, and Windows 10 and 11. Oddly enough, Hyperkin decided to keep the wired design, even though most of us are used to wireless controllers these days.
Stuck In the Waiting Lobby
Hyperkin only announced that it’s working on the DuchesS controller so we’re unaware of any pricing or release details. We should also note that the design could see some changes since the controller is still in the development phase.
For reference, Hyperkin is charging $89.99 for a 20th-anniversary edition of the Duke controller mentioned above. There’s even a transparent green one so you can fully lean into reliving your fondest childhood memories.
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