Bethesda's long-awaited sci-fi epic, Starfield, finally arrives on Xbox Game Pass in just 83 days' time - not that we're counting or anything! We've been chomping at the bit to get our hands on this one and, to make the wait a little bit easier for eager fans, Xbox has released a brand-new limited edition controller and headset for the game.
We've already got our hands on said controller and we've been very impressed with it right from the moment we popped open its dinky little presentation box. Yes, if you quite fancy the look of this one based solely on screenshots from the internet, we can tell you that it looks even better in real life. In fact, this may well be the coolest game-specific Xbox controller we've got our hands on so far.
This thing really is just so darn stylish. Of course, it's gonna fully come into its own when the game releases and we can make full use of its various cockpit indicators, such as the throttle, power distribution, scan and mode selection symbols found around its buttons, but even now just holding it is satisfying, and makes us super-buzzed to get blasted into space in a few months' time.
On the face of the controller you've got a white colour scheme with a matte gold hybrid metallic d-pad, clear X, Y, B and A buttons, white menu/screenshot buttons and two grey grippy thumbsticks set into snazzy lacquered red pools. It's also got two magnificent translucent triggers that allow you to peer into the dramatic, brass-finished workings within. It's a really nice touch that makes this feel like a proper premium product.
The controller's Xbox button is set into a lovely swish of Starfield colours that present a visual reminder to us that this game is for all, "For All, Into The Stars", as the game's official tag-line goes. The main side grips have a light grey finish, and the back of the controller sports a nice Starfield logo set into a dark red background on the battery panel covering.
It's a cracking looking device overall, then, and it also comes with a couple of meaningful upgrades to your standard Xbox controller, with the side grips here made of a rubberized material - compared to the plain plastic of the normal controller - giving it a much nicer and more premium-feeling grip. This upgrade continues in the same vein on the shoulder buttons, where you'll find that LB and RB have received a nice textured grip finish too. We're actually pretty delighted with the new rubberized side grips, as we have had some issues in the past with the plastic not really doing much to help when our hands are particularly sweaty, and they do tend to get quite sweaty during intense space-based dogfights, let's face it.
Away from the controller's added grippiness, things are exactly the same as your standard Xbox wireless controller here with the same weight distribution, dimensions and functionality across the board. Of course, there's a premium to be paid of around about £15 / $20 compared to a wireless controller at its normal price, and with a little shopping around you can widen that price margin to £30 / $30 quite easily. With nothing new beyond the upgraded grips that's quite an expensive jump, but if you're into your collectable limited edition controllers...well, we promise this one is gonna be one of your favourites so far, it's just a really nice looking and feeling controller, and we can't wait to make use of all its cockpit specific indicators when we finally get to dive into the game itself.
One other extra that's been thrown in here to sweeten the deal, is a Starfield dynamic background for your Xbox Series X|S that's unlocked as soon as you connect your new controller for the first time. In order to set this as your backdrop, you'll need to head into the dynamic background settings and then to the Xbox section - not the Games section as this reviewer had mistakenly thought! - where you'll find your new background waiting for you. We'll be honest, it's not a very exciting background, it's rather dull and a little lifeless overall, but hey, it's free so we can't complain too much.
All in all, then, we're loving this Starfield controller, and we can't wait to put it through its paces with the game itself. With cool looks and upgraded grips combined it's now second only to our Xbox Elite Wireless Controller 2 as our favourite way to jump into some sweet Xbox game time. Is it wrong to tuck your controller into bed at night? No. No, we don't think it is, thank you very much.
