The Xbox Adaptive Controller inspired Nintendo to make its own
But its fate is unknown
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Nintendo had plans to produce its own version of the Xbox Adaptive Controller that would’ve worked on any system.
Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé stated that during the early days of theNintendo Switch, the company was inspired by the Xbox Adaptive Controller. In an interview withInverse, he claimed Nintendo looked at Xbox’s device “as a jumping-off point” to make a platform-agnostic accessibility controller of its own.
That means the controller would’ve likely been compatible with other consoles, possibly including current-gen machines like thePS5andXbox Series X|S. But since Fils-Aimé departed Nintendo, the fate of the controller has been left up in the air.
“My hope is that the effort has continued. I’m not sure if it has or has not,” he said regarding the device. “But also, my hope is that controller – and the ability for that controller to connect with all of the various systems – is launched and shared with consumers as quickly as possible.”
Playing catch-up
We’ve no design specifics of Nintendo’s would-be adaptive controller. So we really don’t know just how much inspiration the company took fromMicrosoftto design a pad that could be used by players with disabilities.
A first-party controller that works on various platforms certainly sounds useful, though. But it’s hard to say just how far Nintendo would’ve pushed the controller’s accessibility features.
Nintendo has since gone on to produce controllers that are compatible with non-Nintendo systems. Arecent Steam client updateadded support for the Switch’s Joy-Con controllers, as well as several of itsNintendo Switch Online-exclusive pads like the wireless N64 controller.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Accessibility, in general, is something Nintendo has been sorely lagging behind on.Sonyand Ubisoft, in particular, have made strides in providing comprehensive accessibility options for their games. And Microsoft’s own Xbox Adaptive Controller tries to make thebest Xbox gamesaccessible to gamers from all walks of life.
However, while innovative, the Xbox Adaptive Controllerisn’t without its flaws. It’s more expensive than theXbox Wireless Controller, and has shortcomings regarding button mapping, and is quite difficult to set up in the first place.
Had Nintendo seen its own adaptive controller to fruition, it may well have addressed the shortcomings of its Xbox inspiration. We agree with Reggie here, though; we’d love to see this controller eventually make it to market, especially if it can be used across consoles.
Rhys is TRG’s Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.
I reviewed the PS5 Pro and recommend these 7 enhanced games to try first
Valve just single-handedly upgraded content creation for PC gamers – Steam’s Game Recording feature is now available to all
AMD just outsold Intel in the data center space for the first time ever
