Microsoft to Bring Keyboard and Mouse Support to Xbox One

[Dohc-WP]

Xbox One users may soon have a new way to interact with their console.

Speaking on Twitter, Xbox chief Phil Spencer revealed in a conversation with a fan that the engineers at Microsoft were working on mouse and keyboard compatibility for the current-gen console.

@lgriao @PNF4LYFE @Tak225Th Yep, keyboard and mouse support for Xbox would need to be there for this to work, those aren't far away.

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) July 21, 2015

The Xbox One has allowed for keyboard use in basic text inputs, but no use of a mouse has ever been implemented. It remains unclear what range of recognized mouse inputs will be integrated, or approximately when this functionality will become available. IGN has reached out to Microsoft for additional information.

Several changes to the Xbox One have forged a deeper connection between the console and Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system, including in-home streaming and the Xbox app.


Source: IGN

[FarligOpptreden]

I hope they only stick to system input, browsing and the like. It will give FPS gamers an unfair advantage over their controller-weilding ilk.

But what do I care? Filthy peasants won't know how to operate such complex devices anyway...

[diabolus]

I hope they only stick to system input, browsing and the like. It will give FPS gamers an unfair advantage over their controller-weilding ilk.

But what do I care? Filthy peasants won't know how to operate such complex devices anyway...

I don't see how this gives anyone on an Xbox an "unfair advantage" . If "controller wielding ilk" don't want to use a keyboard/mouse then it's their own fault. I would agree if it was PS4 vs Xbox One situation , but last i checked cross-console playing has never existed....

I certainly hope the Xbox -> Win 10 streaming will allow for keyboard/mouse playing, since that is what i first thought i would want to do with such a feature...

[Grievous]

I don't see how this gives anyone on an Xbox an "unfair advantage" . If "controller wielding ilk" don't want to use a keyboard/mouse then it's their own fault. I would agree if it was PS4 vs Xbox One situation , but last i checked cross-console playing has never existed....

I certainly hope the Xbox -> Win 10 streaming will allow for keyboard/mouse playing, since that is what i first thought i would want to do with such a feature...

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't allow the mouse for gaming to keep it fair. I get what you saying, "everyone can use it". But for me, my console has always been something I use in front of the TV, without a table. I can lie down on a couch and play. I wouldn't be able to do that practically with a keyboard and mouse.

[diabolus]

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't allow the mouse for gaming to keep it fair. I get what you saying, "everyone can use it". But for me, my console has always been something I use in front of the TV, without a table. I can lie down on a couch and play. I wouldn't be able to do that practically with a keyboard and mouse.

The irony is, i already have a mouse/keyboard (actually it is mouse+wand) that i can plug into my Xbox One via some gadget that makes the Xbox thinks it is my controller. I have found it still more convenient to use my controller, despite the mouse being much more accurate in FPS.

With mouse+keyboard, as you say, you can't lay on the couch, you can't even just sit on the couch, you will suddenly need a table/flat surface to place the mouse.

That said, "plain" shooters like Call of Duty / Battlefield which are all run and gun with primarily weapon switching + grenade throwing , the mouse config works great. More complicated shooters like say GTA:V or Titanfall where you start have some combination of keys going, i.e in Titanfall you parkour ala "mirror's edge" up walls by sprinting and fiddling with the bumper/triggers to stick/grab/pivot across buildings (while still have to aim+shoot at the same time) .....i simply found a controller much easier to do that with.

Anyhow it is debatable, i have been streaming games like Destiny to my windows 10 laptop , and since i sit so close to my laptop screen i felt it just made sense to be able to use mouse+keyboard for that scenario. Maybe they can compromise and limit this per-game , so certain non-competitive games have a keyboard binding function and others don't.

Much like you get PC games that work with controllers and others that simply don't.

[DieGrootHammer]

I distinctly remember MS telling everyone emphatically that mouse and keyboard support will not come to Xbox One. Seems that there are a lot of things they've said about the Xbone that they in any case are doing. I'm glad to see this, and I'm pretty sure it will be awesome to have such a feature.

This will probably be implemented with the Windows 10 update the Xbone is about to receive, adding even more cross-platform functionality between the Xbone and Windows 10 PC's. It seems MS is pushing their agenda to make the console a living room extension of a PC.

[GregRedd]

With this, 360 compatibility, PC streaming, and the price drop announced yesterday, MS are really making it harder and harder for me to keep the padlock on my credit card.

[Grievous]

With this, 360 compatibility, PC streaming, and the price drop announced yesterday, MS are really making it harder and harder for me to keep the padlock on my credit card.

I think all these changes have been forced because they are literally selling half of what Sony has managed with the PS4.

[TBlaar]

This will be for in the menu.... but someone will eventually hack it so that it will be mapped to the controller. Will be interesting.

[GregRedd]

I think it's worthwhile to note the context in which Spencers' tweet was made. The convo he was having was specifically related to the idea of streaming games from your PC to your XB1. It's for this reason that MS would need to enable mouse and kb use through the console. If they get that right, I'm cutting the padlock off immediately.

360 games on the XB1. XB1 games on the PC. PC games on XB1 is the next logical step. Windows 10 could quite literally be a game changer.