Chrome 86 now supports the Windows.Gaming.Input API

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by Surur Davids 

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We reported a few weeks ago that Microsoft was trying to get the Windows.Gaming.Input API, which would provide better support for gaming controllers like the Xbox controller, supported on Chromium.

With more and more gaming moving online via browser streaming, Microsoft felt there was an increased need for support for dedicated controllers in browsers in browsers.

Now the feature has been added to Chrome 86, currently behind the Enable.Windows.Gaming.Input flag, reports Techdows.

Chrome already has the Gamepad JavaScript API, but Microsoft feels adding full support for the Windows.Gaming.Input API as an alternative back-end will allow greater support for the dedicated hardware on controllers, such as the rumble triggers on the Xbox One gamepad, and paddles on the Elite controllers.

They also note that low-level APIs like Raw Input would not be supported on WCOS devices, while the Windows.Gaming.Input API would work on both Windows Desktop (win32 apps) and Windows 10X.

To enable the feature in the latest Chrome Canary or Dev version, go to Chrome://flags and search for Enable.Windows.Gaming.Input.

Surur Davids

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Surur Davids is the founder of WMPoweruser which later became MSPoweruser.com. He's a smartphone expert with over a decade of experience.

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