Xbox introducing mouse, keyboard support
Free and nimble space ninja epic "Warframe" will function as one of the spearheads for a new Xbox policy allowing developers to cater for mouse and keyboard players as well as traditional gamepad owners.
The Xbox 360 and Xbox One pads are already well established as a reliable controller option for PC players -- 64% of Steam users with a gamepad have an Xbox 360 or Xbox One controller, 27% opting for PlayStation and 5% a dedicated PC pad, according to a September 25 blog post from Steam operator Valve.
But the tide flows both ways, and Xbox head Phil Spencer, fresh from emphasizing the importance of listening to customer feedback, has announced that support for mouse and keyboards, most usually associated with computer rather than console gaming, will be coming to the Xbox One.
A mouse and keyboard setup is generally understood to enable faster, more accurate responses, potentially giving players an edge over gamepad users depending on the game in question.
Therefore, game studios will be able to choose how or even if keyboard support is implemented; whether to let mouse and keyboard players join the same sessions as gamepad players will be decided on a case-by-case basis, and developers can potentially hand over that choice to players as they pick from a range of online match-ups.
Public testing is to begin over the next few weeks for participants in the Xbox Insider program.
In addition, Microsoft's Xbox division is partnering with peripherals manufacturer Razer to create an official Xbox One mouse and keyboard, implying as much through a teaser graphic shown during the September 25 edition of Inside Xbox.
That said, most wired or wireless USB mice and keyboards are expected to work on Xbox One.
More details, in terms of hardware and game support, are expected from the November 10 edition of Inside Xbox.
