Xbox One gets support for keyboard and mouse

For years there have been hints about it, now it should go reasonably fast: Microsoft announces to officially support mouse and keyboard on the Xbox One. The implementation in the games is mainly in the hands of the developers.

Microsoft wants to officially allow input via mouse and keyboard on Xbox One – of course this won’t change the support for gamepads. In a blog post, the company announces that it will present the details at an event called X018 on November 10, 2018 in Mexico City. There may also be announcements of new games.

According to Microsoft, most wired and wireless keyboards and mice will work with the Xbox One. There is a cooperation with the manufacturer Razor about which no information is available yet. Especially living room and sofa compatible input devices for the console are conceivable.

Microsoft Blog Post

  1. In the blog post, Microsoft clearly points out that mouse and keyboard would not always be possible in games.
  2. On the contrary: the developers can decide whether and how they want to support the input devices in their games.

  3. The first game that has now been announced is the free action title Warframe from the Canadian developer studio Digital Extremes.

A few important questions are still open: namely whether developers can set up separate multiplayer servers via Xbox Live for players with a gamepad and mouse and keyboard – and if so, whether the latter can or must compete with PC players. Normally, gamepad players don’t stand a chance against opponents who use mouse and keyboard.

Therefore, it would probably make sense if the developers could strictly separate the two groups. However, this should create other problems, for example if clans or guilds can no longer compete together. Members of the insider program of Xbox One should be able to try out how mouse and keyboard feel in console games in the next few weeks. When the option will be released for all others is not known at the moment.

VPN For XBox

More important than a mouse and keyboard is a VPN, if you have not installed one. Check out http://vpnxbox.com/ for more information about it.

Cooperation with Razer

According to Microsoft, support for the input devices in question will not be activated by default. Rather, the developers themselves have the choice whether they want to support the mouse/keyboard combination for their games or not. One of the first games that will use the support is the multiplayer shooter Warframe.
Cooperation with Razer

In the early stages, Microsoft will support a large number of mice and keyboards on Xbox One. However, there are probably also some peripherals that will not work on the console. However, an intensive cooperation with the hardware manufacturer Razer is planned in order to further expand the support.