PC gamers have long enjoyed the competitive advantage that a keyboard and mouse afford. In fact, it's why Microsoft killed its cross-platform push in 2010 (PC gamers wrecked console players every time).

Despite the mismatch, gamers haven't given up on the idea and neither has Microsoft.

Mike Ybarra, corporate vice president for the Xbox and Windows platforms at Microsoft, confirmed during a recent panel at PAX West that keyboard and mouse support for the Xbox One is definitely coming (it already exists as part of Minecraft's Better Together beta).


This time around, however, they're going to take a slightly different approach.

Ybarra said they have to be smart in how they implement it and leave a lot of choice up to developers. In the case of a competitive multiplayer game, Microsoft will encourage devs to offer gamers the option of playing with other keyboard and mouse users or only those that use a controller (or, if you're feeling adventurous, anyone).

Ybarra said we'll see the first Xbox One games supporting keyboard and mouse soon but declined to mention any by name or provide an exact release date. Nevertheless, it's an exciting prospect, especially if you've got extensive experience with PC gaming.

Would a keyboard and mouse-equipped Xbox One be enough to sway you over to the console realm or are your roots firmly planted in the PC? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments section below.