Apparently that Windows 10-powered Xbox One dashboard isn't the only new software feature gamers have to look forward to. Mike Ybarra, of Microsoft's gaming team, has revealed on Twitter that all of us will soon be able to completely remap the buttons on any Xbox One controller so that you can change what the system sees when you click the B button, for instance.
Yes, that means that you won't need to spend $150 on that super-fancy, customizable Xbox One Elite controller to get the feature.
And that's good news, because button remapping should have been a standard feature years ago. Not only is it convenient for anyone who wants to make a small tweak to how a game is played, but it's a godsend for physically-impaired players. Simply put, one control scheme doesn't fit all. And since game publishers rarely make the effort to providing meaningful control customization, it makes a whole lot of sense for console makers to just deal with the issue on their side of things. Sony did just that earlier this year when button remapping was quietly added as part of a software update.
@StavEllis @XboxP3 It’s coming for all controllers soon.
— Mike Ybarra (@XboxQwik) October 4, 2015
Microsoft originally had only announced the feature alongside its costly Xbox One Elite controller. Beyond button mapping, the $150 gamepad has swappable parts for customization at a whole other level. No word on when you'll be able to customize the controls on your Xbox One, but Ybarra says it is coming "soon."