LOS ANGELES — Hyperkin’s long-awaited Competitor, an Xbox controller drawing heavy inspiration from Sony’s PlayStation 5 DualSense, is set to launch in October 2024, priced at $49.99, according to The Verge. First teased in 2019 and unveiled in its final form at CES 2025, the wired-only gamepad targets Xbox and PC gamers who prefer the symmetrical joystick layout of Sony’s controller. The Competitor will be available in black and white for North America, with red, blue, and gold variants slated for Europe and Australia, and a later U.S. release.
The controller features anti-drift Hall effect joysticks and impulse triggers, a segmented D-pad, two programmable back buttons, and a mic mute button. “You don’t have to worry about battery life with the Hyperkin Competitor since it’s a wired-only Xbox controller,” a Hyperkin spokesperson told The Verge, highlighting its reliability for competitive play. Unlike the DualSense, it lacks advanced haptic feedback and adaptive triggers but offers durability improvements, addressing stick drift issues that have plagued controllers like the DualSense and Nintendo’s Joy-Con.
Key features of the Competitor include:
- Symmetrical Layout: Mirrors DualSense’s side-by-side analog sticks for PlayStation fans.
- Hall Effect Technology: Magnetic sensors reduce stick drift, enhancing longevity.
- Competitive Edge: Back buttons and a refined D-pad cater to fighting game enthusiasts.
Posts on X, such as from @verge, noted excitement for the controller’s DualSense-like design, though some users criticized its wired-only setup. Hyperkin, known for retro controllers like The Duke, aims to appeal to Xbox players seeking PlayStation ergonomics. As gaming preferences evolve, the Competitor could bridge the console divide, offering a budget-friendly, durable alternative at half the price of premium controllers like the Xbox Elite Series 2.
