Hyperkin’s Xbox 360 controller remake has a release date and price
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Hyperkin’s Xbox 360 controller remake has a release date and price
Get your hands on the refreshed Xbox 360 gamepad this June
Hyperkin’s official relaunch of an updated Xbox 360 controller for Xbox Series X|S and PC is almost here.
Announced back in November, the controller – officially called the Xenon – is now due to hit shelves on June 6 at $49.99.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Hyperkin Xenon
🎮 An official, refreshed Xbox 360 controller will release later this year
💰 The Hyperkin Xenon will hit shelves on June 6 for $49.99
🕹 It’s compatible with Xbox Series X|S and PC
😬 Let’s hope the quality of the D-pad has improved
It’s a reasonably authentic replica of the Xbox 360 controller, with a body that looks like the spitting image of Microsoft’s original design. However, its USB-C wired-only connection is a step back from the Xbox 360 pads of old, as you won’t be able to cut the cord on Hyperkin’s pad.
Its faceplate has changed a bit, too, with the Menu, View and Share buttons replacing the Start and Back inputs. A 3.5mm headphone jack has also been added to connect a headset directly through the gamepad.
The Xenon will be slightly cheaper than Hyperkin’s relaunched Duke – a replica of the original Xbox controller – it released in 2018. That bulky gamepad launched for $69.99 and is one of the best Xbox Series X controllers money can buy, purely for nostalgia. Hopefully, the Xenon will be similarly impressive.
It’ll launch in black, white, pink and red colorways, and while that doesn’t quite match the range of Xbox Series X controller colors, it at least gives some room for personalization. Microsoft has gone big on new color schemes in recent months, launching the Stellar Shift Xbox Series X controller in February before quickly following it up with a Velocity Green gamepad.
I’m still not hugely swayed by the design. The original Xbox 360 controller always felt cheap in my hands, particularly its plasticky and poorly articulated D-pad that was little more than a chunk of molded plastic glued onto the top of an analog stick. Still, retro enthusiasts might like the dose of nostalgia, and it’ll probably be better value for money than Sony’s hyper-expensive PS5 DualSense Edge controller.
I don’t expect the Xenon will make its way onto our pick of the best Xbox Series X accessories, but I’m also hoping Hyperkin can prove me wrong.