Xbox will reportedly block unofficial accessories from November

Do you have a third-party accessory connected to your Xbox? Microsoft won’t let you use it anymore, because of an upcoming change to its rules.

Xbox will not allow unofficial accessories from November 12

A report by Windows Central says that Xbox users are running into an error 0x82d60002. The error screen displays a message which states, “A connected accessory is not authorized. Using unauthorized accessories compromises your gaming experience. For this reason, the unauthorized accessory will be blocked from use on 11/12/2023.”

The ban to block third-party accessories is probably not related to prevent jail breaking, because the Xbox has never been jailbroken. So, what could be the reason for blocking third-party accessories?

Many gamers are speculating that this could be a move to prevent devices that are used to cheat in multiplayer games, for example using a mouse and keyboard in a console game would provide a gamer an unfair advantage over others. This has been a known problem among Ubisoft’s Rainbow Siege gamers. So banning the usage of XIM devices in this scenario would make sense. But it may also affect people who use customized controllers and fighting boards. Adapters are also useful to connect old-school wired controllers, too.

The popular gaming brand, Brook Gaming, which makes various adapters for PlayStation, Xbox, Switch has released a statement which says that some of its accessories (Wingman XB 2 converter, a few Fighting Boards, and Steering Wheel Adapters) are being blocked on the latest Xbox OS version 10.0.25398.2266. The update in question was released on October 16th, so the ban could be in effect already. Brook has apologized for the issue, and the company says that it is working on providing a solution for the problem. Brook notes that the error message only appears during online gameplay, i.e. when playing a multiplayer game. The accessory-maker says that the issue may not affect offline gaming. That seems fair, there is no point in blocking the accessories for single player games? But, some gamers on reddit say that their gaming wheels from popular brands stopped working last month.

Why is Microsoft blocking third-party accessories?

Could Microsoft want OEMS to pay a fee to get their devices authorized for Xbox? It does already have a Designed for Xbox Partner Hardware Program.

Windows Central says it sources indicate that Microsoft is indeed working with manufactures to create wireless accessories for the Xbox Series X and Series S. The Redmond company reportedly has an approval process for such accessories, so manufacturers will need to apply for a license, and the products will need to pass the security measures which are set by Microsoft to ensure that their controllers do not offer unfair advantages to gamers. This is not an unusual requirement, because Microsoft deems it necessary for Xbox-compatible wireless headsets to have a security chip in them. The report also says that officially licensed accessories such as those made by Turtle Beach, Razer, etc. will not be impacted by the ban. It remains to be seen how Brook and other OEMs will address the issue.