Xbox Bans Cronus Hardware Adapters
https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming...
Recently. we have received player feedback concerning these products when used on Xbox consoles (the latest OS version 10.0.25398.2266. released on 10/16) during online gameplay. An error message may appear: "A connected accessory is not authorized." We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause you. The Brook engineering team is fully committed to developing a solution to maintain product quality and functionality. Please trust that we will spare no effort in identifying potential solutions. Once further updates become available. we will promptly notify you through our official community platforms."
Affect products listed by the brand are:
Wingman XB 2 converter
XB Fighting Board
With partial functionality affected on its UFB fighting boards and steering wheel adaptors.
Brook Gaming's statement highlights a series of issues that have been plaguing third-party, unlicensed accessories, particularly since the rollout of console build 10.0.25398.2266, which was released on October 16. Interestingly, digging deeper into the matter reveals Reddit posts dating back to September, with users on reddit voicing concerns about a wide range of accessories, including joysticks and racing wheels like the Thrustmaster TMX Pro. This brand regularly features on this site and in our Best Racing Wheels for Xbox discussions.
While it's unclear how many products are affected by this issue, there's no indication yet that it has impacted Cronus or XIM accessories. Cronus and XIM accessories are controversial since they allow users to mimic a mouse and keyboard as an Xbox controller. This functionality provides them with a competitive edge in FPS games like Call of Duty, since they offer boosted turning speed and rapid-fire functionality without sacrificing aim assist. However, XIM and Cronus accessories have been used for accessibility purposes as well. As of right now, we haven't seen any evidence that these types of accessories will be affected by the recent changes since Xbox has historically been unable to detect them, but we're investigating.
As long as you're using a product from manufacturers that have officially paid for the Xbox license, you should be in the clear. Brands like Turtle Beach, Razer, and others featured on our Best Xbox Headsets and Best Xbox Controllers lists fall under this category and won't be affected by the recent change. Wireless headsets already need a security chip approved by Microsoft to incorporate wirelessness on Xbox, but it seems this is now being extended more broadly to controllers and similar accessories too.
The problem seems to revolve around brands that haven't acquired this licensing but still market their products as compatible with Xbox. It appears that Microsoft is actively blocking these items.
Why is Microsoft doing this?
Our sources indicate that Microsoft is lifting restrictions on the ability for third-party hardware manufacturers to build wireless accessories for Xbox Series X|S devices. Indeed, this year we saw the PowerA MOGA XP-Ultra launch, which is among the first official third-party wireless controllers that isn't simply a re-skinned Xbox standard controller, or a patent holder such as some of SCUF's accessories.
Excellent Xbox controllers like the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma are let down solely by the fact they are wired. Microsoft previously had no easy path for third-party manufacturers to get wirelessness into their controllers, with only headsets getting approval via a special Microsoft security chip. Now, we're hearing that Microsoft does have an approval process for official third-party wireless controllers, and this new restriction may be a result of new security measures to put restrictions on inputs that could circumvent play or inject unfair advantages.
The downside, of course, is that Xbox's new policy is affecting many "fair" accessories, particularly in the case of fighting game joysticks and other similar accessories.