The Xbox One is finally getting keyboard and mouse support for games

Wondering what it might
look like using a mouse and keyboard with a home game console?
Here’s just one example.
YouTube/Hardware Unboxed

• The Xbox One is getting a long-requested feature: The
  ability to play games using a mouse and keyboard.
• Not all games will support mouse/keyboard controls, and
  it’s not clear if games that do will allow gamepad players to
  compete with mouse/keyboard players.
• In taking this step, Microsoft is allowing developers
  to implement support for keyboard and mouse controls if they so
  wish — it’s not required.

The promise of home video game consoles has always been one
of convenience. Plug the console in to the
wall, then to the TV, and turn it on — video games!

But there’s a whole subset of gamers who are willing to sacrifice
a bit of that convenience for more control: PC gamers are the
type of folks who are happy to trade an easy-to-use gamepad for a
cumbersome, albeit more precise, keyboard and mouse setup.

So the logic goes: Using a mouse to aim is far more accurate than
using a thumbstick, and using a keyboard enables far more options
than the few buttons on a standard gamepad. 

The Xbox One S console
with matching Xbox One gamepad. The Xbox One gamepad is
considered the standard bearer for console
gamepads.
Florence Fu/Tech
Insider

As such, some folks are going to be especially excited to hear
that Microsoft is adding full-on keyboard and mouse support — on
a system level — to the Xbox One family of game consoles. 

What that means for the tens of millions of Xbox One owners in
practical use is that some Xbox One games will
offer support for keyboard and mouse controls. To be all the way
clear: Xbox One gamepads will still be the default control method
for all Xbox One games.

Microsoft is careful about this distinction in its announcement.
“Mouse and keyboard support for games is added on a
title-by-title basis, entirely at developers’ discretion,” the
post on
Xbox Newswire reads. “Mouse and keyboard input is not enabled
by default for games.” 

The first such game to offer support is “Warframe,” a
free-to-play third-person shooter; no other games have announced
support thus far, but there are plenty that make sense.

Will your favorite keyboard and mouse be supported? That remains
to be seen. Microsoft says that, “most wired or wireless USB
keyboards and mice will work.” Additionally, the company is
partnering with gaming peripheral maker Razer to create something
purpose-built for use with the Xbox One — presumably something
with a couch in mind, as opposed to a traditional desk setup for
PC gaming.

We’ve yet to see what this new setup looks like, but Razer teased
it in a brief
clip on Twitter:

Some Xbox One users will see keyboard and mouse support as soon
as a few weeks from now, with a wider rollout scheduled for
further down the line. Support will roll out in upcoming Xbox One
system updates.