Xbox will soon block ‘unauthorised’ peripherals on consoles

It looks like Microsoft is going to start blocking “unauthorised” Xbox controllers and accessories soon. Until now, you could release a third-party controller or peripheral and connect it via USB. However, users have begun noticing a new “connected accessory is not authorised” error message.

Several users on Resetera have seen the new error message, which also includes a note that unauthorised accessories will be blocked and unusable on Xbox consoles after two weeks, giving customers a chance to get a replacement before being unable to play.

This means that moving forward, all third-party peripherals will need to go through the Xbox certification program for officially licensed products. It is unclear if this change will impact controller-spoofing devices like XIM or Chronus, which are also used to enable cheats in console games.

One area where this may have a notable impact is fighting games. Maximillian Dood, one of the largest fighting game YouTubers around, warned that this would hurt the fighting game scene and would see local tournaments having to switch away from Xbox due to support for arcade stick converters.

It is unclear how easy it will be for third-parties to get an official badge of approval for peripherals on Xbox but we would hope for an easy path for companies releasing useful peripherals, while making things difficult for products that enable cheating.

In a statement to WindowsCentral, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the rollout of this new error message and change in policy but did not clarify on the types of peripherals it is looking to clamp down on.

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KitGuru Says: If this helps put a stop to cheats, then it is probably the right move. However, if controller-spoofing devices are still enabled, then I don't see how this move does anything but squash competition in the console peripheral space.

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