A new 8BitDo Ultimate controller is headed to Xbox, bringing a wealth of versatility and customization to Xbox at a very tempting price. Officially licensed by Xbox, the 8BitDo Ultimate launches on June 13 and is available to preorder for $70 from Amazon, but there’s a notable catch here for Xbox users. On PC and mobile, the 8BitDo Ultimate Xbox controller should prove to be a great alternative to the official wireless Xbox controller.
While this controller features the high build quality and platform flexibility of other 8BitDo Ultimate devices, the bad news here is that if you intend to use it specifically on Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, you can only do so in wired mode with the included detachable USB-C cable. That’s certainly a disappointing revelation, especially since at first glance, you’d think it simply looks like an Xbox version of the fantastic 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth controller for Nintendo Switch and other platforms.
Currently, the 8BitDo Ultimate doesn’t offer a wireless mode for Xbox consoles. A firmware update could theoretically change that–Microsoft did open up its wireless protocol to allow third-party manufacturers to make wireless controllers for Xbox last year–but for now, this is strictly a wired affair on that platform, and we wouldn’t recommend banking on post-launch wireless compatibility.