Gamers longing for a blast from the original Xbox past are in luck. Accessory maker Hyperkin has revealed it is resurrecting the console’s redesigned “Controller S” gamepad for modern systems.
Introduced in 2001 alongside the first Xbox, the original “Duke” controller turned heads with its massive, egg-like frame. But while the Duke has achieved cult status today, its bulky size proved polarizing at launch. Many players struggled with the unwieldy design.
Enter 2002’s “Controller S” – a slimmed down redesign that became the standard Xbox gamepad for the console’s lifespan. Its streamlined layout directly inspired future Xbox controllers for decades to come.
Yet while the Duke eventually made a comeback via Hyperkin’s 2018 re-release for Xbox One and PC, the Controller S design remained relegated to memory. Until now.
Dubbed the “DuchesS”, Hyperkin’s Controller S recreation aims to recapture the feel of the original for modern Xbox and Windows systems. It will mimic the 2002 controller’s size and buttons, right down to its signature offset analog stick placement.
As an modern upgrade, the DuchesS will also feature a Share button and headset jack akin to the latest Xbox wireless controllers. And it swaps out the original’s rubber thumbsticks for Hall Effect replacements to reduce drift issues.
Hyperkin plans to offer the controller in timeless black and an alternate white color scheme when it launches later this year for unannounced prices.
Given the Controller S made such a lasting impact, shaping every Xbox gamepad since, the DuchesS will undoubtedly appeal to gamers looking to revisit Microsoft’s freshman console era. It dominated living rooms in the early 2000s before being overshadowed by the fondly-remembered Duke.
Now with the DuchesS, Hyperkin is giving the Controller S its time to shine once more. And it stands to fill a perfect nostalgia gap until Microsoft itself decides the Controller S deserves an official throwback release.
