Hyperkin reveals a new, PlayStation 5-inspired, ‘Competitor’ controller for Xbox and PC platforms at CES 2025

At CES 2025, Hyperkin, a well-known third-party gaming peripheral manufacturer, revealed plans to create a significantly improved, redesigned model of their ‘Competitor’ gamepad for both Xbox consoles and PC systems. This information was shared by IGN.

This wired gaming controller, modeled after the original but boasting upgraded controls and a revamped design influenced by the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller, aspires to surpass its predecessor in functionality.

It’s clear that the Competitor Xbox Controller closely mimics the design of the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller. This similarity is seen in the overall structure, the divided d-pad, and the arrangement of the buttons and analog sticks, with the sticks located beneath the face buttons.

As an analyst, I can express this in a more personal and straightforward manner like so: “I can now enjoy playing the top Xbox games on my Xbox Series X|S with PlayStation 5-style controllers, which I find more comfortable than the conventional Xbox controller.

The Competing Xbox Controller will also feature Hall Effect joysticks and triggers, which function differently than traditional analog sticks by utilizing magnetic fields and electric sensors. This design provides players with enhanced precision over their in-game character during gameplay, minimizing the potential for stick-drift, and reducing the requirement for large deadzones to interpret player input effectively.

Hall Effect triggers operate in much the same way, leveraging magnetic fields and electric sensors to pick up on a player’s inputs without any physical contact. This results in a quicker recognition of the player’s input by the game and less physical effort needed from them to activate the trigger. This beneficial feature enhances the accuracy of inputs during gameplay while potentially minimizing wear and tear damage over prolonged use.

Moreover, the competitor’s Xbox controller features a mute button for muting during online chats and two customizable buttons for additional functions.

At present, there’s no confirmed launch date or pricing details available for the competitor controller by Hyperkin similar to Xbox.

Play your favorite Xbox games with a PlayStation-style control scheme

For me, the Xbox controller designed like the PlayStation 5 by Hyperkin seems quite appealing and enticing. Although I enjoy using the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma, there are instances when I long for a PlayStation controller experience. This sentiment is particularly strong when I’m attempting to play 2D side-scrollers or 2D fighting games, as I find the D-pad on a PlayStation controller more effective for these types of games compared to an Xbox controller’s D-pad in my view.

Of course, will the competitor’s Xbox controller manage to impress Xbox enthusiasts with its unique control design and potentially rank among the top Xbox contenders upon release? We’ll have to wait and see.

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2025-01-06 22:09