Xbox Design Lab Controller

 

Models

On the printed label inside the battery compartment, the model number is shown. This is a Model 1708 (2016 revision) controller.

Original version (2013)

The first controller for the Xbox One was black, with colored face buttons. A special white edition was given to Microsoft workers at launch, but it wasn't available to the public until almost a year later, when it was initially packaged with a matching white console and Sunset Overdrive.

First revision (2015)

The Microsoft Standard Controller has been updated with a new version, model 1697, on June 9, 2015. Its shoulder buttons have been improved for greater reactivity, and a 3.5mm headphone jack was added near the controller's expansion port. Wireless firmware upgrades were also added.

The controller's analog (3.5 mm) headset jack (L) and digital chatpad/headset adapter interface, Model 1697 controller, were changed little externally. The 2015 revision's main distinction from the original (Model 1537) is the inclusion of a headphone jack on the bottom of the controller.

Second revision (2016)

The Xbox One S (formerly known as the Xbox Scorpio) was unveiled in June 2016, and it includes a new version of the controller, dubbed "Synaptic." It has textured grips and can be used with Bluetooth-enabled PCs and mobile devices. This controller version may also be availed through the "Xbox Design Lab" service for an extra fee, allowing customers to choose their own colors and have their screen name etched on it instead.

The second design is distinguished from earlier versions by the color and texture of the plastic that surrounds the illuminated Xbox/guide button.Controller models (1537 and 1697) have a distinct black glossy piece of plastic, as does the Model 1698 "Elite."

The front shell of the controller is a single piece in the second rev (Model 1708) and the adjacent portion now matches the controller's texture and color. It comes in five colors: white, black, red, blue, and other limited edition colors.

Third revision (2020)

In November 2020, a third version of the controller was released alongside Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, which are still compatible with previous Xbox One consoles. It has a refined construction with a somewhat smaller form, "Share" buttons on the center of the controller below the "View" and "Menu" buttons, a circular dish D-pad similar to that of the Elite Controller, and a USB-C connection instead of USB Micro-B.

The gamepad is compatible with Bluetooth 4.0 and has a USB Type-C connector for charging or connecting to the console via Wi-Fi. The controller can also be linked to two Xbox devices at once thanks to Bluetooth Low Energy support. Another new feature of the controller is Dynamic Latency Input, which sends controller data to the console in line with the current framerate in order to reduce latency between user input and reaction in the game.

Starting in September 2021, Microsoft began rolling out the enhanced Bluetooth and latency features of these newer controllers to its official Xbox One controllers, including the Xbox Adaptive Controller.

The Xbox Design Lab will continue with the Series X/S controllers in 2021, allowing gamers to produce their own unique designs.

Xbox Design Lab

Starting in June 2016, the Xbox Design Lab (XDL) service allowed clients to purchase custom color combinations for the Xbox One S controller (Model 1708) at an additional cost. Clients could select one of fifteen colors for each of five distinct components of the controller (body, back, bumpers, triggers, D-pad), as well as eight colors for the thumbsticks and four choices for the View/Menu buttons.

The Xbox One X is capable of generating approximately 8 million distinct possibilities. Access to the XDL service began on June 13, 2016, and customized controllers started to ship in late August; the first price was $79.95/$99.95 (US/Canada), with a $9.99/14.99 (USD/CAD) premium for laser-engraved text up on 16 characters

In the fall of 2017, four new colors were introduced to complement the previous nineteen choices, bringing the total up to twenty-two. The update also broadened the thumbstick color selection to include any of the nineteen options. Furthermore, for each of the nineteen available hues there was a matching metallic version for the D-pad and triggers.

The D-pad ($2.99) and triggers ($3.99) were the extra-cost alternatives for the player (US$2.99), in which case the metallic color name was often similar to the regular color, with the exception of greys (Robot White, US$2.99) and yellows/browns (Lightning Yellow, US$3.99).

A more expensive alternative was to cover the back of the controller with black rubberized grips (US$5.99). The UK's base price was GB£69.99, with initial availability restricted to the UK, France, and Germany beginning in June 2017; starting August 21 of that year, the XDL program was expanded to 24 additional European countries.

Microsoft offered each of the 32 NFL club emblems as a choice for the front of the controller in November 2017, on a white Robot background; beginning at US$94.99, XDL controllers branded with an NFL team's logo included an NFL team's emblem.

In 2017, Microsoft teamed up with McCann London to launch the "Xbox Design Lab Originals" program, which serves as a type of franchising for custom designed goods. Consumers who join the program may earn a portion of revenue by using Xbox Design Lab to create and market their own designs.

The store began selling game controllers in April 2017, when marketers for social media celebrities began promoting it. On May 1, a function that allowed customers to "claim [their] design" was added to the store, with retail help beginning on May 30. It was crowned the Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2018 by the Creative eCommerce Lions and Clio Awards in several categories, including public relations and games.