The Xbox One Controller Hands-On: The best for shooters

The Xbox 360 controller is touted by many as one of the best, if not the best controllers ever made. It’s ergonomic design, responsive analog sticks, and robust triggers made it the controller of choice for console gamers as well as being popular with the PC crowd. Therefore, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Microsoft have decided not to make any drastic changes to the controller. Gameondaily go hands-on with the Xbox One controller at Eurogamer Expo a couple of days ago and are happy to report that the controller carries on the legacy of the 360 controller very well.

[sincitysir1]

Woooo!

[4Sh0w]

Thats ONE badass mofo controller but then Im biased because I always preferred 360 controller. Cant wait to get my hands on this ONE.

[MiHX2]

So do i.Xbox One-Day 7(For real,I am too busy at the 22th and 23th etc.)

[Goku781]

Which backs up my previous statements. MS way of thinking shooters, shooters, shooters! Sony, keep everything in mind. Nintendo, lets, try to do something different but based around our same IP's. PC, we'll take whatever the other guys got and make it better (or use it for our own)..

[goldwyncq]

How so? The only shooter revealed at Microsoft's E3 conference was Halo 5.

[Goku781]

If you haven't noticed they consider themselves the COD system of choice and have a big push and exclusivity for that series and games like it.

[Jeedai Infidel]

Goku, why don't you save yourself time and just post videos of Playstation commercials? It's what you're always up to in the xbox articles anyway.

[BadlyPackedKeebab]

I love the way you take the statement that something is good for shooters and turn that into its not as good for other types of games. It blows my mind that sony still have not put the left stick in the place of the dpad. Its the most natrual position for the most used stick.

[Tooly]

That's preference.i like my thumbs adjacent from one another.the Linear feel is alot better then offset

[Grave]

^Agree

Both thumbs in same spot is much more natural than having one offset which feels completely wrong to me. The impossible thing is trying to find a PS3-style controller for X360.

[CrimsonStar]

lol isn't the ps4 releasing like 5 fps at launch ?

[Jeedai Infidel]

Goku only posts in xbox related articles to try and recruit xbox fans to playstation, he doesn't actually say anything of substance. Go check it out, any xbox article, you'll see him.

[ricochetmg]

HAve you guys been on the pipe the last 5 years. He is right.

[JimmyLmao]

Some say PS4's controller is best for shooters, some say XB1's controller is best for shooters.. In my opinion... both the PS4 and XB1 controllers seem pretty equal. =D

[XB1_PS4]

It really is just a matter of preference. If you like it best, it is the best to you. That's really all that matters.

[Hufandpuf]

both controllers look awesome. The DS4 looks like a mix between the Nintendo 64 and Xbox 360 pad.

[Jaces]

Got hands on with the PS4 controller and it is definitely much more comfortable. The triggers on the back are also improved with the upward lips to contain the fingers unlike the DS3, which I'm starting to notice more and more slippage during long periods of driving in GTA5, lol!

The Bone controller felt much the same as the 360's, only difference I really noticed was the way it looked and there was no battery pack on the back to get in the way of your fingers which was a welcome change.

Personally I think both are on par with each other.

[Kuse]

Xbox One is looking better each day! Can't wait! Day 1!

[christocolus]

this was the reason most games especially the shooters i got this gen were for my xbx 360..seems it will be same next gen.

[Bill_Willson_CIA]

And thats why 360 don't have more exclusives and PS3 is the house of AAA exclusives. I feel that,some years from now, the history will repeat with ps4/one.

[hyperfire21]

So you would rather wait years to get PS4 exclusives instead of getting XB1 exclusives now?

[MysticStrummer]

@hyperfire - Comparing PS3 vs 360 exclusives... Yes I would rather wait for PS4 exclusives. Luckily there won't be a wait, since KZ is a launch title and Infamous will be along soon after. Sony has led the console exclusive arms race for the last three generations, and there's no reason to think it won't happen again. On the MS side, there's every reason to think they'll start strong and then fade. Things can always change, but judging from history Sony will win again.

[Mystogan]

Yet X1 has more AAA launch exclusives than PS4.

[christocolus]

its a matter of choice bro...i prefer the xbx controller and ms exclusives more....last of us and unchartrd are the only exclusives i actually respect most on the ps3...but every other game halo to gears to kameo to alan wake to even multiplats like rdr,mgs rising,gta and cod were all better suited to the xbx controller for me..i owned more than 80 games across both platforms but the ratio was 70% xbx -30%ps3...i guess its just my taste.

[4Sh0w]

christocolus same here sony has a few suberb exclusives you just got to play but overall I prefer multis and everything else on 360. Like all platforms theres some duds too.

[jessupj]

We've heard from a lot of other sources that the DS4 is better as well, so who knows?

It's a pity there isn't an easy way to try both for yourself so you can make an informed decision.

[skydragoonity]

I admit i like the design, unfortunately it uses AA batteries.

[C-Thunder]

The battery thing is dumb. Everyone I know just bought the recharge kits (part of the plan, I'm sure) which just died so we ended up with wired controllers....very next gen /s

[Bathyj]

Thats a matter of preference.
I personally don't like offset sticks because my thumbs are not offset. I don't understand that thinking at all.

Nor do I like the big springy triggers or being forced to use them for shooting when I like the r1 button on my trigger finger. Using r2 means your fingers need to jump from button to button if you need the r1.. Using r1 means you can use you middle finger for r2 and your trigger finger never comes off the trigger.

[4logpc]

Ur gonna hate the DS4 then.

[NatureOfLogic]

The power of those AA batteries.

[chrissx]

Both the DS4 and Xbone pad are good for shooters.

[gaelic_laoch]

Nice I do like, just please rethink the AA's

[NatureOfLogic]

I've never owned an Xbox 360, but the last time I tried playing a FPS with 360, I thought the controller sucked big time. My main complaint was the stiffness of the analogs. I couldn't get that slight accurate turn like I do with the ds3. The only reason I think I sucked with the controller is because I mostly use ds3, so Xbox 360 controller didn't feel comfortable to me.

[MysticStrummer]

Agreed. The XBox controller has always felt awkward to me.

On a somewhat related side note, if anyone does a hands on for Kinect things could get dicey since "You are the controller". Might be a job for Vivid.

[mhunterjr]

It really boils down to preference. I prefer the offset sticks because for the games I play (shooters, action, racing), rarely do i take my thumb off of the left stick. On the 360 controller, the left thumb rests naturally on the left stick. On the ds3, i have to hold my hand in a 'c' shape to reach the stick, which isn't very comfortable.

Conversely, the ds3, puts the dpad under the left thumbs natural position. People that grew up on playstation are used to using the dpad primarily. For me that's only useful in fighters, which are really better with a fight stick.

[SuperWeeb]

This is coming from someone who owns both. Hell, i'm even going to attach an image just not to get random fanboy downvotes here.
The 360 controller is the worst controller i've ever held. And that includes the Gamecube controller. It's clunky, there's a huge ass battery pack at the back of it, the transition from joystick to D-pad is awful. The elevated triggers at the back only give it a tiny advantage which is drowned out by the large disadvantages it has. Dualshock 3 is symmetrical, far better ergonomically designed and sits more comfortable in my hands and doesn't feel like a cheap poundland toy.

In terms of shooters, i've tried them on the 360, but no dice... Honestly, it just feels awkward to hold. My shooters have always been reserved for my PS3, where that has RSV2 and MAG (The only two shooters I don't want to trade in).
Granted, mouse and keyboard is best for shooters any day, however in terms of controller, the 360 failed on all fronts. And despite the haptic trigger vibrations, I don't see much improvement for the Xbox One's.

Out of everyone I know, the only people who praise the 360 controllers are those who only own a 360 (And that's a lot, the UK is, or rather, was, Xbox dominated). But in terms of people who idort (A la, me) Dualshock 3 seems to be the more favoured opinion.

[Mr_Luke]

I've always felt better with the DS3. I used the 360 pad a lot anyway, i'm a possessor of a 360 since it was released. But id didn't like it so much, so my wife and some friend (besides the ones that got the 360 only). I know i'm getting a lot of disagrees for my choices, but... well, i can't care less =P i'm not saying the 360 is bad or something, i just prefer the other one.

[ShaunCameron]

I enjoyed the 360 controller more. It felt natural with pretty much any game involving guns. And it works surprisingly well with other genre games. It figures why I buy a vast majority of multiplatform games for the 360.

[PsylentKiller]

I love the xbox controller since the s controller for the original xbox. The off set analog sticks and triggers is the main reason as well as the grips. The DS controllers felt very awkward. THe analog sticks were too close together and the triggers curved he wrong way. Although, I did like the texture of the DS triggers over the xbox ones.