With the release of gaming consoles, many people are looking at the console, the specs, the games, but all the accessories that are often around also follow, not just the official ones released by the console makers but the other ones that partner with the console. There can be several to chose from, some good, some bad, some essential and some not so much… but over the years there several that have come out, with the Xbox one there has been a few and no doubt will set the standard on the new Xbox series X.
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Back in the day
Back in the older days, there weren’t many accessories with gaming consoles, you would often get a controller/pad with it, maybe you will buy a second, essentially after that, you are looking at different accessories based on the games that perhaps that have been launched, for example back in those original days on NES and Master system there was a light gun-type accessory because that was a game that was launched. Follow that through the years there’s been wheels for driving games, fishing rods for fishing games, joysticks for simulation games, bigger better and even weirder Guns for gun games, guitars and instruments for guitar hero games, let alone the Nintendo Wii, that took this all to another level.
Xbox
As for Xbox many of what I have mentioned have also been released on the console, both for Xbox 360 and Xbox One and with the next Xbox Series X still being in its infancy, let alone the perhaps slower progression because of the pandemic, there will no doubt be more and more being released in the coming years. As for the Xbox one you could argue the range has been solid, and in the most part quite high tech and polished with its range, add to this the brands like Logitech, Power A, Turtelbeach and a host of other companies have made their own solid selection of accessories.
Microsoft themselves made a great range and their controller colour range was for me the best there’s ever been, they even made a deluxe model of their controller or the pro and Esports players, but they also had two types of wheels, a wireless free feeling one, and a traditional wheel and pedals. But they had wireless sensors, Remote controllers, Headsets, all to help bolster their range and cater to the customers, and with those accessories, they even had different models over the years seeing improvements.
Brands
As for other companies, there’s often that judgement that the branded accessories are better, and for the most part, you could argue their right, and you would expect the Microsoft or Sony or Nintendo ones are better as they make the console? but the counter to this is the price, in all examples, in almost all consoles there has ever been the first party accessories are more expensive, and can be a lot more. The Xbox is no different, regardless of the 360, One or the new Series X, those first-party accessories are alot more money, so you have to way up the price to quality, is the jump in price worth the quality? is the quality of those other branded accessories that much worse? well no, for me I’ve had the first part controller or accessory as my main first, but if I need more for multiplayer or back up then this can be expensive, so getting these other branded ones are well worth it. Let’s be honest some people and kids can perhaps miss treating their stuff, and replacing the expensive ones over and over can also be expensive.
Final thoughts
With the consoles and games becoming a lot closer in quality, across the consoles formats and PC, you could argue there’s not much difference on where you own it, but the accessories and controllers can be a vital choice in what your playing on, for example, I always prefer the Xbox 360 pad over the PS3, and then on the next-gen, I can use both, but I prefer the PS4 over the Xbox one Pad for the game si play, and if you ask many others they will all have opinions of what they prefer. Having a cheap back up ones or needing extras for multiplayer again is practical to get the other brands to help out, but these days accessories have a big part in our gaming world.
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XBox One PowerA Wired Controller (WTDS)
