It’s time to party like it’s 2001. The behemoth original Xbox controller, dubbed the Duke due to its size, is back, and you’ll be able to get your (hopefully gigantic) hands on it very soon as a definitive release date has been announced. The Duke is available to pre-order now from Gamestop, in time for a April 30 release date.
Interestingly developed by third-party peripheral manufacturer Hyperkin, you can also get your mitts on the Duke controller in the UK, but you’ll have to wait slightly longer. Amazon has a current listing of May 8, with a retail price for the wired controller set at £69.99. This announcement came during the revival of the Inside Xbox broadcast yesterday.
Our beautiful beefy boy is back. #TheDuke #InsideXbox pic.twitter.com/YsVuA4BQkG
— Xbox (@Xbox) March 10, 2018
If you have your heart set on purchasing the OG green flavour of Duke then I’m afraid you’ll have to have some contacts, and then some. Only 15 of them have been made and have already been sent out to the lucky few.
These beauties just got delivered #NewDuke @SeamusBlackley @majornelson @ryanadelman @XboxP3 @Xbox @aarongreenberg only 15 made! pic.twitter.com/5JgUXSw6vI
— Chris Gallizzi (@cgallizzi) February 9, 2018
As for the specs, the Duke controller will be compatible with both the Xbox One and Windows 10, should you want to bring the chunky controller in to retro up your PC gaming experience. There’s also a 3.5mm headset jack as standard, plus force feedback and impulse trigger vibration.
It remains to be seen how much of a market there will be for the Duke controller. Nostalgia is always a safe bet in the video game market, and this could fuel the launch of further re-designs and re-releases (gimme that original PS2 controller, Sony!). For now, though, you’ll have to make do with going back to black. The Duke is dead; long live the Duke.
