The Duke For Xbox One And PC Makes Some Necessary Changes - Hyperkin's Remaster Of The Original Xbox Controller

Hyperkin is known for its catalog of retro gaming accessories and the latest throwback peripheral available is the original Xbox controller, commonly referred to as The Duke. This rendition is nearly identical to the first gamepad released alongside the Xbox back in 2001 that was swiftly replaced in 2002 with the more sensible Xbox S controller. Whether it be for nostalgia's sake or genuine affinity for the ergonomics of this hulking controller, the original design is back with a few modern touches that are detailed throughout this photo gallery.

Seamus Blackley, one of the leaders in marketing the first Xbox console, expressed excitement earlier this year around CES 2018 and stated, "I discovered to my horror and fascination that The Duke was an object of nostalgia and comfort and happiness and childhood memories, and all these people with big hands saying it was the only controller that was comfortable." Blackley comically recalled, "I contacted Phil [Spencer, Head of Xbox], who is a buddy of mine, and asked, 'Phil, is this crazy enough to do?' and some of the hardware guys who were there when the Xbox was on the drawing board said we should absolutely do it."

The Duke is compatible with the Xbox One and PC, and it works exclusively through a wired USB connection. The controller is available now on Microsoft's store, but on May 15 at GameStop for $70 USD / £70 GBP.

Not much comes in the package; just the controller and the thick nine-foot USB cable. You should note that the USB port on the controller is wedged in a way for the packaged cable to fit perfectly into; other cables may not fit here.

When you hook it up to an Xbox One or PC, the old Xbox startup graphic plays on the round LED screen at the center of the controller then stays on a static image identical to the original gamepad's logo.

The center display also functions as the power button like the Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers.

Holding and using The Duke is exactly as you'd remember in terms of button placement, analog stick grooves, and ergonomics but with a few modern touches. A 3.5mm audio jack sits at the bottom of the controller, which makes plugging in headphones much easier.

One of the other design changes comes in the form of newly added shoulder buttons. These are the RB and LB bumpers on the modern Xbox controllers that also function as the Black and White buttons, which is necessary to play most games.

Those colorful jellybean-shaped A, B, X, Y buttons feature the same inward slant, for better or worse. The smaller Black and White buttons reside atop the face buttons and remain functional.

The D-pad may look awkward, but the grooves made it easy to change directions without lifting your thumb. This was key for fighting games, but the design was ultimately scrapped in subsequent iterations of the Xbox controller.

The deep grooves on the handles made the Duke easy to grip, and the design is identical here. Also, the left and right triggers have a silky smooth pull.

Alongside the original Duke controller, you can see how the Duke was faithfully recreated by Hyperkin. Of course, the center logo that only appears when plugged in, shoulder buttons, and designation of Start/Select to Menu/View buttons would give away which is which.

Of course, there's no need for expansion slots that were used for memory cards, so those are gone with the new Duke.

When looking at the Duke and its successor, the Xbox S controller, you can see how Microsoft opted for a more sensible and compact design in 2002. The face buttons were realigned, Black and White buttons were moved down, start and select were moved to the side, and the D-pad and analog sticks had a makeover.

The newest Xbox One controller shows that not much has changed since the Xbox S remodel all those years ago. But compared to the Duke, it's needless to say that modern controllers make more sense.

Whether it's nostalgia or sincere love for the Duke, the $70 price tag might be a lot to ask. Are you interested in getting your hands on this controller? Let us know in the comments below!