With the upcoming release of cross-platform titles such as Fable Legends and the second installment of a Halo's real-time strategy counterpart, Halo Wars 2, the demand for keyboard and mouse support on the Xbox One is bigger than ever. Xbox head, Phil Spencer has previously stated that mouse and keyboard support 'aren't far away', but a firm release for the update is still to be set.
In response to a fan on Twitter, Spencer has reaffirmed that keyboard and mouse support is making its way to Xbox One but failed to provide any further details. Xbox will be making an appearance at multiple events over the coming months, where we could see the feature in action and how this affects players using a traditional controller.
The Xbox One currently supports USB keyboards when inputting text, but mouse and keyboard support in-game is yet to be seen. While adding support for these inputs appears fairly straightforward, we can expect Microsoft is developing additional systems to prevent controller users from being at a significant disadvantage. Whether keyboard and mouse players are handicapped in multiplayer games, or separated from controller users in competitive scenarios, Microsoft will have to ensure the balance of multiplayer games isn't unsettled by a second input method.
Source: Phil Spencer (Twitter)
Reader comments
Microsoft confirms keyboard and mouse support is still coming to the Xbox One
hmm so if that happens the when streaming, will we be able to use the computer mouse in xbox?
Meanwhile Xbox live is down again on a weekend. The quality of Xbox live has deteriorated since the xboxone came out
I want keyboard and mouse so that I can use the Edge browser more conveniently in my living room via my Xbox One
Would be nice for browsing and media apps. Since Xbox One has literally no games worth playing the gameplay aspect is meaningless.
This will just be another failed feature, like the Miracast app that's been in preview hell for a year now.
Would love to see this, might make me use the browser on my xbox as moving with the controller is painful, feel should be disabled in games besides typing
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Oh, Awesome, COD with Keyboard and mouse....Epic !
> 2016
> Playing CoD
Not a good idea IMO. Then you'll have people dominating in FPS games while the average users is left behind using a controller. Keyboard and Mouse should stay on PC or only be able to be used in the UI and not in game.
Screw game usage, yea mouse is a bit more accurate for aiming, but keyboard is the worst input device or anything except top down strategy.
All I want is mouse support for browser! I already have a wireless mouse/touchpad combo, but the touchpad does nothing :(
You could always get a Xim and skip the wait :)
I own pc players with a controller. I think they are at a disadvantage when they face me
Haha.
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They'll need to figure something out for crossbuy and crossplay.
That's a misleading photo seeing that the Xbox doesn't support Bluetooth and those are Bluetooth mouse.
If only you could buy some sort of usb dongle that allows bluetooth connectivity.
Well RF still works
Does the Xbox currently support keyboard and mouse for Internet browsing?
Now if only they could map the .com function to the chat pad & add some way to keep the virtual keyboard from getting in the way
What about VR not needing extra PC? Sony has one incoming in few months.
Why would they hobble keyboard and mouse users? It's not like users can't add a keyboard and mouse. Besides, it's like I've been saying all along: controllers are just plain lame. That's why I've never supported game consoles. I can get better performance, better video, better user experience from PC games. It's just stupid to spend so much effort to move controllers to PCs when they SHOULD be spending all that effort to allow full use & keyboard support on consoles.
Sadly, they've ruined Xbox One with that idiotic NXOE, so not even mouse/keyboard support will convince me to take our Xbox out of the shed.
No kidding you can get better video and performance out of a PC, nothing like stating the obvious. However, I can get a the XBox One and laptop that will do everything I need for two thirds of the cost of a decent gaming rig. Plus with the XBox I can play coop with my wife and kids. It all depends what you want and need. Everyone is different and to rag on console users because you prefer PC is just ignorant and obnoxious. And as far as the UI of NXOE, get over it interfaces change some like it some don't, you would probably be happy to go back to Win 98SE, but that ship sailed long ago.
No. Windows 8 all the way. Our Xbox now gathers dust.
So you think it's dumb to buy consoles, yet you bought one. Dumba$$
Lmao someone sounds like an entitled little brat. Sorry I know your parents probably never told you this but the world does NOT revolve around you. Also not everyone has the same OPINION as you.
Spoken like someone that doesn't play games from the couch or splitscreen games with friends. The superiorness of the PC and it's form factor have been somewhat undermined by Valve trying to get in on that console + controller action.
LOL, "muh couch"
Spoken like someone who still has a CRT monitor and a Gateway 2000.
Ok try hard. U won't know the feel of just sitting on ur couch after a day of work lay down and play something. Have to be sit up straight on a desk 'it's like going back to work . Scrub
when is it coming out, when is the mouse and keyboard for xbox one coming?????????????????
My guess would be that it's a developer decision whether keyboard/mouse is supported, per-game. Otherwise, as mentioned, it could destroy multiplayer.
only we are impatient generation.... they are proceeding in right direction...I understand wait can be frustrating..
Continuum for the One?
That'd be cool.
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If Miracast support ever comes, it should work.
In-game sounds dreadful, if it goes into multiplayer matches. The imbalance of the input options would ruin competitive play. Hopefully it's a non-gaming thing only.
Or, you know, you could add a kbm just like everyone else.
at least it is coming...people are not appreciative here
Or folks have just been burned too many times to trust words. Things get canceled, delayed, and forgotten. 2.5 years, and we're still waiting on background music.
You don't ever give them credit for anything at all, so it is really good that some people see that they are making huge strides across the board.
Whatever you say. Make up whatever you want to feel right on the Internet. I know it's an important flag to waive in life.
You should be a politician, with that expert-level making up of things without sources.
What is he making up? Show me a console that streams to your PC, or natively controls your media devices. How about another console that actively interfaces with an Ota antenna. You're complaining about background music when other features are regularly added. Just because they aren't the features you want, doesn't mean nothing good is being worked on. Also, what features on Xbox have been announced and cancelled?
Background is bigger than you think. Music currently is on a different OS. Background music requires virtual memory on the dsp, OneCore and other tech to work. We got OneCore. WDDM 1.0+. The DSP in the Xbox One is the first HSA DSP - gives the DSP equal rights as the GPU or CPU. Snapdragon 820 should have HSA DSP as well on the mobile side.
Background music required OneCore, HSA DSP and new software. New software is in the works. Wish they where able to do everything quicker, but given the rest of the industry is further behind than MS I have no complaints.
The complexity of the OS was known the whole way. They've focused on several other background capabilities. Twitch can do it. Microsoft seems to have just overlooked music as a form of entertainment when it was promoting a media-centric platform for the console. It's probably the thing I'd use much as an app beyond the gaming features. Complexity issues just don't apply when you're talking 2.5 years, other functions in-house, and even third-party apps pulling it off.
I wonder if they would completely separate the controller users from the mouse & keyboard users. Maybe have the xbox sense which one they are using and put them into the appropriate "pool"? Just a thought...
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Jez and I have talked about this on the podcast recently. We were thinking some playlists that separate out the players, and some unified ones?
Do we even need to separate them ?
So the idea is that keyboard and mouse is vastly more accurate and responsive then a control pad. That's true, they are. But that isn't going to give Jim, whos never played before using a keyboard and mouse any advantage over Dave who has been playing with a control pad since day one and is currently in the top bracketing of the games already.
That's to say, that while a keyboard and mouse will give advantage over control pads in general, the games should account for player ability, even if that includes the use of keyboard and mouse, since poorly playing keyboard and mouse gamers will still be ranked with control pad gamers who perform on the same level as them.
If we segregate the two user groups based on their choice of input device, should we also say xbox elite control pads need their own group? No, we should co-exist, because pro gamers will make the move to keyboard and mouse if they want to up their game level, and be rank matched in games with higher teir gamers alike.
Futher, if decide to segregate users on the xbox, that itself is going to dilute population of gamers, more so for keyboard and mouse users who would move to the platform. Worse still, when we eventually get to the point of cross platform gaming, say Call of Duty or Minecraft, do we still have that barrier
Ideally we'd have the games rank up by player ability. If keyboard and mouse users are so advanced in their preicison skills, then they along with any other pro control pad users will rank up to the highest levels and match making will filter the others out automatically.
Honestly think that a lot of console users will make the switch anyway, a wireless keyboard and mouse set is super cheap anyway, even if Microsoft release their own branded xbox keyboard and mouse setup, once they see what can be done with them. That's not a bad thing, why hold console gamers back ?
But Henry, who has always played with a k/m, will dominate everyone with controller. It will make using a controller obsolete if you want to play a competitive game.
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I wouldn't completely separate those, I like to play with my controller against K/M players. I often lose, but every kill is a real kick. It should be the choice of the player.
True, playlists could work, or just giving the player the choice everytime (or just save a preference).
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What Simon is - correctly - saying is that good k&m players will be ranked higher, which the automatching should account for anyway. No need for a second way of matching.
Not interested.
Prior to the experience update my mouse worked, then they broke it....... Now they're going to bring it back? Yes, please hurry, using the browser is nice from the couch, bit it needs a flipping mouse!
Awesome. Patiently waiting.
I'm really relishing the idea of playing my PC games streamed to my Xbox One and my big screen TV.
Just what I've been wanting.
Just use HDMI cable to and from your television and computer
Have you heard of the Steam Link? You can stream your Steam games to a TV and use a mouse and keyboard connected to your PC or connected to the Steam Link itself.
All MS need to do is support the Steam Controller on the Xbox as they do on the PC. Then controller players could play with KB/M players on a reasonably level playing field. And they wouldn't need cheat mode 'auto aim' either. Job done.
I am curious why they can't make even more controllers compatible. I would love to see even 360 controllers compatible. It would make some of those 4-player MOBA games more fun.
They could, but why would they? They want to sell new controllers.
"SOON" Microsoft Copyrights Reserved.
Soon. TM.?
Lol could not agree anymore
Which company doesn't have things coming soon? This "joke" was old last year.
New joke coming soon
So When they are coming ??
Soon.
When mouse and keyboard are not needed anymore or after OSX develops it with better functionality.
OSX isn't a game console OS...
Actually, I'd say it's exactly that. Easily learned and very limited
Actually, I'd say it's exactly that. Easily learned and very limited
Let me say this again in a different way. OS X is not an OS running on a console, therefore it already has mouse and keyboard support, since it's a computer OS. So why would they need to bring mouse and keyboard support to their (already containing mouse and keyboard support) OS with better functionality?
He's probably confusing iOS with OSX.
I was thinking he might have been confusing the OS on Playstation with OS X lol. Since it's the only competitor that makes sense to compare with Xbox :P
Keyboard is already totally functional on Xbox One... It's since a year now that I use my Logitech K400 Belgian AZERTY and I can type whatever I want on the Xbox Store, when a game ask for a name (for example), etc. Even the Enter key can be used like the A button !
The touchpad can only be used with Internet Explorer (before the Windows 10 upgrade for Xbox One) or, if you want, Microsoft Edge.
PS: I used it today and still the case ;)
It would be better with XB1 controls right on the keyboard.
But you can't use it to play a game only to type they are going to bring support in use of games