Does the original Xbox inspire a spark of warm nostalgia in your heart? If so, you may be pleased to hear you can preorder a new set of wired controllers modeled after the classic Duke controller. Made by the accessory maker Hyperkin, these controllers are coming out in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Xbox. There's a black one and a white one, plus a translucent purple one celebrating Cortana, the AI assistant from the Halo series. The controllers will ship December 15 and carry an MSRP of $89.99.
Preorder Duke Controller 20th Anniversary Limited Edition
Hyperkin Duke Wired Controller - Xbox 20th Anniversary Limited Edition (Black)
Compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10.
Hyperkin Duke Wired Controller - Xbox 20th Anniversary Limited Edition (White)
Compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10. Deadline to preorder is 11/1/21.
Hyperkin Duke Wired Controller - Cortana 20th Anniversary Limited Edition (Purple)
Compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10.
Note that these are wired controllers, so they can't be played wirelessly. That said, the USB-C cable is removable for storage purposes. For the white and black models, the original Xbox startup animation plays right on the controller's Xbox button. For the purple one, you'll see a Cortana montage play in the same spot.
The bumper buttons mirror the black and white buttons. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can play using a wired headset. The controllers feature vibration and have precision analog triggers.
Given the price and the form factor, these controllers won't appeal to everyone. But if you're an Xbox fan of a certain age, there's an undeniable appeal to these throwback designs.
In other news, Microsoft has an official 20th anniversary Xbox controller and matching headset available for preorder (out November 15). You can also still buy some of Hyperkin's previous Duke-style controllers, including a translucent green one (on sale for $49.99) and a translucent red one for $69.99.
