Ever found yourself squeezing your Xbox One controller in frustration after one too many missed jumps, or even throwing it after a particularly cheap boss battle? It's a bad habit, but the Microsoft company store at least has something that will make it a little easier on your expensive hardware (and your poor hands): the official Xbox One controller stress toy.
At about a tenth of the price of a real Xbox One controller, and being made of appreciably softer material, it could be your new best friend for playing rage-inducing games. Not only that, it has so many more uses than an actual controller, which - due to its cost and fragility - should typically be reserved for playing video games. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Throw it at the wall instead of your expensive, real controller
- Cut it in half and tack it your wall, so it looks like you threw it so hard it stuck
- Squeeze it to relieve stress and tension
- Give it to your child/younger sibling when they ask to play
- Convince your friends that this is the latest Xbox One controller hardware revision and that it's "foam-core enabled"
- Turn it into a flail to complete your "The Console Warrior" Halloween costume
- Hand it to a model and shoot your own "angry video game player" stock photos
- Become a realtor and use it to stage a house for tech-savvy millennials
- Flip it around and use it as a travel neck pillow
- Buy two and make them kiss
Apparently Microsoft isn't manufacturing these stress toys any more, but there's still plenty of stock left for the time being. If you're more interested in non-squeezable peripherals, check out our guide to the best Xbox One controllers and accessories.
