8BitDo’s Xbox-licensed arcade stick is wireless and customizable
Alongside today’s Street Fighter VI launch, 8BitDo has announced a new Xbox-licensed arcade stick. The wireless accessory, which has moddable controls and supports swappable arcade buttons, arrives later this month.
The Arcade Stick for Xbox is far from the first arcade-style joystick accessory — and it isn’t even 8BitDo’s first in that category — but if the quality of the company’s previous controllers is any indication, it could be worth a look. For starters, it’s highly customizable: You can remap its buttons (including profile support) with 8BitDo Ultimate Software or swap out the physical buttons, choosing between standard 30mm and 24mm sizes. In addition, the company says the joystick’s mounting plate is compatible with “virtually every arcade stick ever made.”
The wireless accessory connects with a bundled 2.4G dongle adapter or wired via the included (nearly 10 ft.) USB-C cable. The accessory also has a 3.5mm audio jack for plugging in headphones. 8BitDo rates its battery life at 30 hours of playtime without headphones and 20 hours with them. Its estimated charging time is around four hours.
The 8BitDo Arcade Stick is compatible with Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One and Windows 10. It ships in black and white color options and costs $120 — undercutting its highest-profile competitor, the Hori Fighting Stick alpha for Xbox, by $80. The 8BitDo Arcade Stick for Xbox officially launches on June 30th and will be available for pre-order on Amazon.