Here's how Xbox One games will handle mouse and keyboard support

[Onkel Neal]

Holy cow, I have been waiting for this for forever. The one thing I don't like about consoles are the controllers, or just the lack of mouse precision. I've explored the idea of adding a mouse and keyboard through various add-on kits, but they are reported to be sloppy solutions. What I really wanted to see was factory support, a real built in solution. This looks like it could make GTA5 and RDR2 amazing.

https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/03/...ames-due-soon/

Microsoft has been promising mouse and keyboard support on the Xbox One for ages, but it's finally getting close. As part of a PAX West panel, the company's Mike Ybarra revealed that the first Xbox One games to support these peripherals are coming "soon," and that the company already has an idea as to how it'll handle support. A lot of it will be "up to developer choice," Ybarra says, but Microsoft will "coach" studios to make sure they add the feature responsibly -- it's aware that there are potential balance problems.

The big concern is in multiplayer, where mouse and keyboard players could have advantages in some games (they can maneuver more quickly in shooters, for example). Microsoft would prefer that developers offer the choice of playing only against rivals with similar controllers, so players who can't or don't want to buy extra peripherals won't be at an automatic disadvantage. Also, support won't be mandatory. Ybarra says that's "based on developer interest."

To some extent Microsoft has already been experimenting with support between Gears of War 4 (where there have been mixed-input online playlists) and Minecraft's Better Together update (which has some mouse and keyboard functionality). However, it's difficult to say how well support will pan out once compatible games arrive in earnest. Will studios honor Microsoft's recommendations? And if they do, will they risk splitting the community? There's also the temptation to offer 'lazy' ports of PC games where the gamepad interface is almost an afterthought. It's likely that creators will accommodate both control methods in order to reach as many players as possible, but there could be some hiccups as producers get used to the concept.

[kilerkg]

I actually quite like controllers for the purpose they serve, being able to sit back on a coach and enjoy a game on a big screen, something that doesn't feel right for me with a mouse and keyboard, even though they aren't as precise.

Like the article says the main problem is adding another input which will give a considerable advantage to those that use it and splitting the user-base doesn't sound like a good idea. It will be interesting to see how they handle it and we might start to get more cross platform games, which would be good.

[Onkel Neal]

I too enjoy the comfort of console games, and playing them with groups as opposed to solo, but managing the activity of aiming is really sloppy with a controller. I'm really interested in trying the XIM.

[Tal Hawkins]

There,s also finally hotas support on the Xbox, but only the T.Flight from Thrustmaster. I assume this was for Elite Dangerous