Xbox Series X/S controller update is possible as Phil Spencer praises Sony’s work on PS5 DualSense

The Xbox Series X/S controller launched with not as much upgrade as Sony did for the PS5 controller called DualSense. However, fans of Microsoft’s console gaming system may not have seen the last of it yet, as Phil Spencer suggests there could be more work for them to do on this aspect.

Spencer’s latest stop was at the Kinda Funny Gamescast, where he also discussed some possibilities for the future of Xbox’s hardware ecosystem. While virtual reality gaming remains one of the emerging platforms for the industry, Spencer suggested Xbox might not fully dive into it anytime soon. That could mean an Xbox-branded VR headset, albeit possible, could still be ways off.

However, the Xbox boss hinted that updates to the Xbox Series X/S controller are more likely. “There’s probably some work that we’ll do on the controller,” Spencer said (via VGC). “I think Sony’s done a nice job with their controller and we kind of look at some of that and [think] there are things that we should go do.”

This is not the first time Microsoft has hinted at making more advanced features available on an Xbox controller, though. Earlier this year, the company sent out a survey to Xbox Series X/S users with specifics questions regarding gaming controllers. One of the questions asked was if the Xbox Series X/S controller owners were aware of the “features on PlayStation controllers that I wish were on the controller that came with [Xbox Series X/S].” The questionnaire also inquired if the gamers felt that the Xbox Series X/S controller “feels next-gen.”

Compared to the Xbox One controller, the version for Xbox Series X/S has a more compact design and has a USB-C port that is promised to deliver faster charging. Microsoft also added a Share Button, allowing gamers to easily take screenshots or record their game and share it on social media.

The company has, however, stuck with some of the staple features from the last-gen controller, including the use of AA batteries. Since Microsoft is big on backward compatibility, the Xbox Series X/S controller is designed to work with the last-gen system, while the Xbox One controller is also forward compatible with Xbox Series X/S consoles. Xbox Series X/S controller offers Impulse Triggers and haptic feedback, but some reviews have noted that PS5 DualSense’s combination of adaptive triggers and haptic feedback tend to be more immersive.

Photo by Kamil S on Unsplash