| Source | X |
| Release | Circa August 2026 |
| Compatibility | NS2 / PC / Android |
Introduction
You may know about the HauteBox Zero, but do you know about the HauteBox One? It’s Haute42’s wireless modular controller by its subsidiary, RetroPlus. You can play with this controller with or without a joystick.
Performance
Starting off, the HauteBox One can be used with a joystick module, which you can also swap out for a rotatable WASD module. You can rotate this WASD module to find the angle most comfortable for you, and you also have access to a leverless layout this way. Namely, it’s a split layout, so both of your hands can enjoy a lot of breathing room.
Basically, the HauteBox One would have 18 buttons that way. Beyond the core buttons, these fingers of yours would have their own dedicated buttons:
- Left pinky
- Left middle finger
- Left thumb
- Left thumb (again)
- Right thumb
- Right thumb (again)
- Right index finger
The two centermost thumb buttons are bigger than the rest of the buttons for easier thumb-side pressing. Not only that, the HauteBox One has five function buttons labeled:
- T
- –
- Home
- Back
- Start
It’s appreciated how the HauteBox One’s back and start buttons are big, especially because the start button is useful to do things like skip post-match cutscenes.
In addition, the HauteBox One’s two toggles are a light lock and tournament lock—the latter of which disables function buttons during tournament play.
Hardware
The HauteBox One is a wide and spacious controller with a wrist slope. Furthermore, there are left and right handles. These handles aren’t briefcase-big, but they should still allow you to do things like:
- Attach a shoulder strap, keychain, lanyard, or charm.
- Shift the controller around your desk or lap.
With the HauteBox One, a useful screen also makes a comeback. By default, the screen shows the last button you pressed in a big font and your recent button press history under it. Moreover, you see details like:
- Input mode
- Turbo mode
- SOCD mode
- Profile number
Now, if you need to make your HauteBox One compatible with additional modern consoles, you can use your own dongle to do so. Other than that, are you excited about the wireless connectivity?
That’s correct: you can connect the HauteBox One wirelessly, avoid trip hazards, and play at a decent distance from the monitor. To do so, you can use the 2.4G wireless receiver.
Appearance
TBGamer is another Haute42 subsidiary, and in classic TBGamer fashion: the HauteBox One can have button labels that range from text to icons/art. When it comes to the LEDs, they light up the buttons’ edges in an elegant way.
As a whole, the HauteBox One is available in light and dark editions—the latter of which is called Astral Glory (reminiscent of TBGamer’s Emotion III-17 controller that shares a similar edition). To end with an interesting fact: the wrist slope can have a different look from the top panel.
Conclusion
The HauteBox One uniquely combines modularity, wireless connectivity, and a split layout into a spacious controller.
- Rotatable WASD module
- Joystick module
- Up to 18 buttons
- Button LEDs
- Split layout
- Spaciously wide
- Wrist slope
- Two handles
- Useful screen
- Tournament lock
- Wireless connectivity
- Extendable compatibility
- Light or dark edition