Xbox One and PlayStation 4 controllers are the only way to play your favorite games. But that’s about to change. According to a report from The Verge, Microsoft is working on a new controller that will let you control your Xbox and PlayStation games with your TV remote. This would be a huge step up from the current controllers, which are often difficult to use without getting lost in the game. This controller would also be great for watching games online or streaming them on your TV. It would be perfect for people who want to keep their gaming experience hands-free while they watch TV or take a nap. If this controller becomes reality, it will likely mean the end of the traditional controller as we know it. We’ll have to wait and see what Microsoft comes up with next, but this is definitely something we’re looking forward to.
Microsoft is constantly testing new features for Xbox through its Insider Program, and the company has just added new HDMI-CEC features that make it so you can control your Xbox Series S|X consoles with a TV remote.
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With the update, you can navigate around your Xbox console’s dashboard and control streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Twitch without needing to power on your Xbox controller. Instead, you can just use your TV’s remote, assuming your TV supports HDMI-CEC technology.
Going the other way, you can also have your TV automatically switch to your Xbox’s input by pressing the Xbox button on your controller. It’s a small thing that makes hopping into a game a quicker process since you won’t need to flip through inputs every time you turn on your Xbox.
You’ll need to be a member of the Alpha or Alpha Skip-Ahead Insider branches on your Xbox if you want to take advantage of this feature right now. To enable it, you’ll have to head to the HDMI-CEC settings part of your Xbox and enable the new features.
While Microsoft is testing these features with Insiders, we’d expect to see these additional HDMI-CEC controls come to all Series S|X consoles at some point in the next few months, but we’ll have to wait and see.
