With the launch of the Xbox 360, Microsoft introduced a standardized API for controllers. If a developer made a game for the Xbox 360, it would automatically work on Windows if they used XInput. It was a brilliant move for Microsoft. They wanted to sell Xbox 360 controllers to PC gamers. The message was clear: "Buy an official Xbox 360 controller for Windows, and every game will just work."
was simple yet brilliant: It intercepts the game’s call to the XInput DLL file ( xinput1_3.dll , xinput1_4.dll , etc.) and redirects it to a configuration file. Instead of reading the hardware, it reads your mapping. xbox360ce
It was a stroke of genius. Suddenly, a $15 generic USB controller worked perfectly in games that demanded a $50 official one. With the launch of the Xbox 360, Microsoft