For some time now, players have been able to use handheld gaming controllers to enjoy games in popular browsers like Chrome and Edge. The existing Gamepad API relies on a polling-based system, which means it continuously checks the status of every button and axis.
This method compares the states over and over to determine when buttons are pressed or axes are moved. Microsoft has proposed a shift to an event-driven system that would enable immediate responses when buttons are actuated and axes are adjusted.
This change aims to make input handling more straightforward and decrease input latency for gaming controllers. If successful, this would elevate the performance of controllers to be comparable to that of keyboards and mice.
The anticipated improvements in the Gamepad API are particularly significant for web-based gaming services like Amazon Luna. At present, many users on in-browser cloud gaming platforms tend to favor keyboard-and-mouse setups, primarily due to the higher latency associated with using controllers.
Therefore, a more responsive system could encourage more players to embrace controllers over traditional input methods. However, it remains uncertain when this new API will be available to the public.
The feature tracker is still in its early development stages, suggesting that it may take some time before the enhancements are implemented widely. In summary, while the proposed changes to the Gamepad API hold promise for improving the gaming experience on web platforms, users will need to be patient as they await the rollout of these advancements.