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E3 2017: The Original Xbox "Duke" Controller Is Coming Back

Duke is back.

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Remember the original Xbox controller? It's giant and unwieldy, much less elegant than the PS2's DualShock 2 that was out at the same time. The "Duke," as it was nicknamed, was so ridiculed that it was replaced by a much slimmer, more ergonomic version later in the Xbox's life. Co-creator Seamus Blackley even called it "embarrassingly enormous" last year.

But there's still some nostalgia for the massive controller, enough to motivate a third-party peripheral manufacturer to work with Microsoft to recreate the Duke. Hyperkin Games has announced a facsimile of the Duke that works with Xbox One and PC.

The company actually sought the "assistance and blessing" of Blackley when working on the project. Since the original controller was, obviously, built for the original Xbox, Hyperkin has updated its version to work with modern consoles.

It now has right and left bumpers to ensure that it has the correct number of buttons to work with PC and Xbox One games. It also has a detachable nine-foot cable, and that big green Xbox logo in the center is now a "logo display screen." It's unclear right now if the controller can be used wirelessly.

The controller is coming this holiday season, and it'll be compatible with the newly announced Xbox One X. This is just one of the many Xbox announcements that have come out of E3 2017; take a look at our roundup of all the news from Microsoft's press conference yesterday, and be sure to keep an eye on our hub for all news, videos, and impressions from the conference.

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