The Xbox 360 was the first Xbox console to include a wireless controller as standard.
Microsoft made wireless gamepads a defining part of the Xbox 360 launch design in 2005. Its standard controller used proprietary 2.4 GHz wireless communication and was powered by two AA batteries or a rechargeable battery pack sold separately.
The original Xbox launched with a wired controller, although Microsoft later offered wireless alternatives for that system. The Xbox 360 also retained wired USB controller support, so players could choose a wired connection when preferred.
The Xbox 360 controller became widely recognized for its asymmetrical analog-stick layout, central Xbox Guide button, and improved ergonomics compared with the original Xbox launch controller. Later Xbox One and Xbox Series controllers continued the wireless approach, but they were not the first Xbox-generation controllers to establish it as the standard package.