If you love arcade games and use an arcade controller, well then, this news is for you. Even more so if you’re not a fan of the lever—aka the joystick. Leverless arcade controllers aren’t new, but one that costs under 100 bucks? Those are few and far between—especially with the level of functionality found in the new 8BitDo Arcade Controller.
Two versions are available: one for Switch and Windows, and one dedicated (and almost too cool) for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows—with bonus RGB lighting. Beyond aesthetics and flashy lights (or the lack thereof), the Switch version connects via Bluetooth to the console and via 2.4 GHz wireless to a PC. The Xbox variant, on the other hand, connects to both Xbox and Windows PCs over 2.4 GHz wireless as well. Oh, and it’s officially licensed by Xbox.
Shared features include a leverless, all-button arcade layout with a quad-movement design, an ultra-thin, compact form factor no bigger than an A4 sheet of paper, and just 1.6 cm thin. It also boasts a hot-swappable PCB loaded with 16 Kailh Wizard low-profile mechanical switches, allowing you to customize them to match your play style.
Meanwhile, it is programmable, letting you remap P1, P2, P3, and P4 with fast mapping. Oh, it also has replaceable lock caps and, independent control panel. And those are not it. For the Xbox model, it also has a, wait for it… a built-in 3.5 mm audio jack and volume control.
This controller boasts some esports-ready features like SOCD cleaning and tournament lock, dynamic button layout, support for 8BitDo Ultimate Software V2, and in the case of the Xbox model, RGB light ring and 4 ms wired latency.
And yes, both versions support wired connectivity if that’s what floats your boat.
At this point, the 8BitDo Arcade Controller for PC, Xbox & Switch may sound like it’ll cost a few hundred dollars. But it doesn’t. The 8BitDo All-Button Arcade Controller for Switch & Windows sells for just US$89.99, while the Xbox version is only 10 bucks more at US$99.99. I know, right? I wasn’t ready for this price either, well, in a good way.
The 8BitDo Arcade Controller for PC, Xbox & Switch is available for pre-order now exclusively from Amazon US, with shipping starting on July 15, 2025.
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Images: 8BitDo.
Story via PC guide.
