Original Xbox's Controller S Remade as a Modern Gamepad Called the DuchesS
Video game accessory maker Hyperkin has remade the original Xbox's Controller S, which was a slimmer version of the infamous Duke, calling it The DuchesS.
As reported by The Verge, the DuchesS takes the original gamepad's design and updates it with modern features like hall effect joysticks. These use magnets and electrical conductors instead of the electrical resistance used in standard joysticks, essentially extending the controller's life span as there's no actually friction.
The controller design isn't final yet, and Hyperkin hasn't shared a release date or price for the DuchesS either. Platforms weren't confirmed, but it will presumably work with the Xbox Series X and S and PC.
The original Xbox Controller S — which sounds like a gamepad to go alongside the Xbox Series S and thus perhaps why Hyperkin rebranded it — was released in Japan as an alternative to the chunky Duke controller, which proved unpopular with gamers more familiar with slimmer Nintendo and PlayStation gamepads.
The Duchess contributes further to the incredibly varied and often bizarre collection of controllers available for the Xbox Series X and S. Microsoft created an edible gamepad, for example, alongside red and blue fluffy Sonic the Hedgehog gamepads and one made out of actual Jade.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
