Four years after the company released its first wireless arcade-style controller, 8BitDo is debuting a new version that’s almost one-third as thick as the original. Its new Arcade Controller managed to slim down by ditching the original’s joystick and focusing on only buttons in a unique layout. Often referred to as a leverless controller, or Hitbox after the company that helped popularize this style, 8BitDo’s includes a dynamic button layout that swaps labels at the turn of a dial.
The new 8BitDo Arcade Controller is available for preorder starting today for $89.99 and is expected to officially release on July 15th, 2025. The standard version is compatible with the Nintendo Switch and Windows PCs. 8BitDo also has an additional all-black version with adjustable glowing RGB accents that’s designed for the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows, but it’s slightly more expensive at $99.99. However, both are much cheaper than competitors’ offerings, including Razer’s $300 Kitsune.
Leverless controllers may seem counterintuitive to those who’ve spent their lives gaming with analog joysticks or four-way directional pads, but they’re becoming popular among fans of fighting games where lightning-fast reaction times can sometimes be a deciding factor in who wins. Although it seems miniscule, playing with only buttons can eliminate the time it takes to move a joystick until an input is registered by a game, potentially giving a player a competitive advantage. At the same time, trying to aim in a fast-paced FPS game using four buttons will probably put you at a disadvantage, so this controller style isn’t for everyone.
Measuring in at 16mm thick, 8BitDo’s new Arcade Controller connects to the Switch over Bluetooth and to PCs using an included 2.4GHz USB dongle. For minimal latency, it can also connect to either with a USB-C cable. Its 1,000mAh rechargeable battery is enough for up to 20 hours of gameplay when using a wireless connection.
The controller’s 16 action buttons use Kailh Wizard low-profile mechanical switches out of the box, but you can swap those with alternative switches if you prefer a different feel. Four of the buttons, labeled P1 through P4, are programmable and utilize bean-shaped button caps to differentiate their feel. They can also be swapped out with included lie-flat alternatives, making them even easier to distinguish.
A toggle switch flips the controller’s button layout between an S-Input mode for the Switch and X-Input mode for PCs, which also swaps the illuminated labels automatically. And as with many of 8BitDo’s recent gamepad releases, its new Arcade Controller supports the company’s Ultimate Software, which lets you customize the button mappings or make complex macros that can be assigned to its four programmable buttons.
The 8BitDo Arcade Controller for Xbox also has a few key differences (besides the all-black finish and glowing RGB accent lighting around 12 of its buttons). There’s no Bluetooth connectivity — only 2.4GHz or a USB cable — and the battery is quite a bit larger at 3,000mAh, which bumps wireless playtime to 20 hours with lighting on or 40 with it off.
Only P1 and P2 can be reprogrammed. It also doesn’t offer the ability to switch the layout of its buttons. Instead, the gamepad’s dial controls volume, which will help if you use the included headphone jack for streaming gameplay and chat audio to a wired headset.
