If you’re both a PC gamer and a console gamer, but you hate buying third-party peripherals, take heart. Microsoft has confirmed the Xbox One controller will work on a PC — someday.
A Microsoft spokesperson tells GamesBeat that while the Xbox One controller looks like the current Xbox 360 controller in many ways, the two don’t share the same technology.
“New wireless protocol, combined with the ability to work in ‘wired’ mode, and the addition of features like Impulse triggers, means that new software has to be written and optimized for the PC,” the Microsoft spokesperson says. “There is also some work that we need to do to make sure that existing PC games that support the Xbox 360 controller will work with the Xbox One controller.
“While it seems trivial, it’s actually quite a bit of dedicated work for all that to be seamless for the user.”
The Xbox One controller reportedly has over 40 design improvements, including redesigned thumb sticks, remodeled triggers and bumpers, and the aforementioned impulse triggers that provide haptic feedback. It will work wirelessly, through standard AA batteries or rechargeables, or wired through a standard micro USB cable.
Microsoft says it expects PC compatibility will be functional sometime in 2014.