Is Microsoft’s decision to ban unauthorized accessories anti-consumer or a blessing in disguise?

Microsoft has quietly added a new error code to their Xbox ecosystem. The error concerns 3rd party hardware, and although it may seem like an ‘Xbox W,’ there’s more to this change than meets the eye.

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What is Error 0x82d60002?

Error code 0x82d60002 rolls right off the tongue and appears whenever you use an ‘unauthorized accessory’ on your Xbox console. From the moment this error code appears, you can use your unauthorized device freely for two weeks. At that point, the code changes to 0x82d60003, and your accessory will no longer work on the system.

There are no account bans associated with this change, and it only affects specific accessories.

Banning 3rd party accessories is a good thing, right?

On the surface, this move by Microsoft is a good thing. 

The hope is that this policy change will render devices like Cronus and Xim useless. These accessories let players use a Keyboard and Mouse in place of a controller. The issue is that Consoles still recognize these devices as a controller, so they grant aim-assist, among other things. 

In the shooter space, we can have shouting matches all day about the best input method. Still, I think we can all agree that a Keyboard and Mouse with controller aim assist is outrageously unfair.

This situation is near and dear to me because Xim and Cronus are a big part of why I switched from a console to PC. Yes, there are more hackers on PC, but I’d take that over an ecosystem with zero repercussions for unfair play.

It’s also worth mentioning that this change doesn’t prohibit all 3rd party hardware, although it does need to be authorized first.

Not all 3rd party hardware is bad

The error code sounds ok until you realize that many specialist gamers use 3rd party hardware legitimately. There are multiple arcade stick manufacturers, for example, with many in the FGC swearing by such devices. 

There are also hardcore fans to consider, like the flying sim crowd with their joysticks and racing gamers with their steering wheels. All of a sudden, these types of hardware are potentially at risk even when they offer zero competitive advantage.

Popular FGC figure and YouTuber Maximilian Dood declared this change as a ‘death sentence’ for local fighting game events that use Xbox. 

Many others echo his concerns. Specialist devices don’t come cheap. Even entry-level fight sticks are over $100, and it stings when these accessories aren’t purchased with ill intent.

Is the new error code anti-consumer or a blessing in disguise?

I’m torn by this announcement. If this stops scumbags using devices like Xim and Cronus to cheat, that’s a huge win.

Doing so at the cost of players using arcade sticks and other legitimate hardware? All of a sudden, it feels more like a loss. I’m not naive enough to believe this change was done to protect the ‘competitive integrity’ of online gaming. 

At the time of writing, we don’t know the specifics, nor do we know what accessories are ‘whitelisted.’ One popular accessory we do know about is the Brook Adapter. This device lets users play on their Xbox with a PlayStation controller.

Sadly, this device is prohibited under these new Microsoft changes. I fear we will see more legitimate casualties in the near future.