You may have seen stories in the trade press today about why Microsoft uses batteries in its Xbox Series X | S controllers. According to Luke Anderson, marketing director at Duracell, this would be a long-standing commercial agreement between the American group and the giant of rabbit batteries . Some may have interpreted the news as an affront, given that the competition has long since passed. The denial of the news did not take long to be heard …
The explanation came through two sources. On the one hand, the Eurogamer site , which was based on an interview from last year. During this exchange between the British site and Jason Ronald, ponte at Microsoft, the case of the use of batteries was raised:
The bottom line is that we are talking to players, a large camp of whom want AA batteries. So giving flexibility allows both camps to be satisfied. You can use a rechargeable battery if you want.
Basically, this decision is consistent. It’s important to have an “on-the-fly” power source for your multiplayer games, for example. Imagine arriving at a friend’s house who plays mostly solo. A lever at the bottom of the drawer, a battery store nearby and let’s go. Not to mention the weight factor. It is true that the controller with battery turns out to be heavier than with batteries, which may disconcert some.
Microsoft has also issued an official response to this stacks question:
We intentionally offer players a choice regarding their energy solution. This includes the rechargeable battery, batteries (of all brands), third-party solutions and the usb-C cable.
So yes, some will surely say that the price of Series X controllers does not really reflect the lack of battery. After all, the next-gen PS controller sells for around $ 70, including the battery and haptic feedback. The Series X | S controller is trading around 60 euros, but several promotions have already taken place, making it more accessible, around 50 euros. By adding the battery (about 20 euros), in the end, we find our way … and with the choice of batteries!
