Modded Controllers - 5 Things You Need To Know

What Is a Modded Controller?

Have you ever heard the phrase “Oh, I hate modders, they spoil all the fun!” on various gaming forums and online communities? I bet you have and probably more than once and, most likely, in much stronger words. Yep, that’s the reality of today’s video game world that has split into 2 clans - those who appreciate the advantages modded controllers bring into the gameplay and actively use them, and the haters, basically. Let’s dive into the subject matter and answer the thrilling question of whether modified gaming pads for Xbox 1 and PlayStation 4 ruin the game or make it better, once and for all.

The term “modded controller” appeared about a decade ago, when just a few companies on the market were making the first attempts to modify Xbox 360 and PS3 gamepads. The main goal then was to offer players something that they were in need of, something that would improve their gameplay results and enhance their gaming experience overall.

The first and basic alteration, introduced for the previous generation consoles a couple of years before COD Black Ops came out, arousing the modded controller fever, was the Rapid Fire mod. The mod was responsible for the shooting action of the gaming character and was pressing and releasing the fire button of the gamepad on the user’s behalf. The feature immediately got a positive response from gamers and created a huge demand for so-called Rapid Fire controllers. The functionality of the feature hasn’t changed, and the main thing to understand here is that this modification has nothing to do with the game code hacking. It won’t allow going above the speed cap pre-set by game developers for all weapons and, therefore, it is impossible to change the fire rate for fully automatic weapons using the Rapid Fire perk. It is highly effective for semi-automatic and single-shot weapons, however, and comes with a number of pre-programmed speeds and an ability to set up custom shots per second if needed.

Seeing the growing demand for gaming experience-enhancing perks, modding companies put all their efforts into finding ways to deliver and started developing more mods. Today there are up to 15 gameplay upgrades that are well known and offered by reputable websites on the market (don’t buy catchy headings screaming about over 50 or 100 mods available, as it’s just a marketing trick to get your attention, and the such number of mods simply doesn’t exist). All current modifications can be divided into 2 main groups - shooting and non-shooting features. The shooting group includes functions designed to customize and improve the firing experience of your character. The other group offers features aimed at giving your soldier some extra skills useful in combat. Among popular mods is Akimbo which lets you shoot both dual-wielded handguns simultaneously with a press of one button; Dropshot allowing your character to drop and shoot at the same time; Fast Reload which decreases the ammo reload time, Quick Scope to improves the sniping experience and more.

Based on Google searches stats, PS4 Modded Rapid Fire controller is one of the most popular inquiries when it comes to modded controllers. However, the majority of online shoppers end up adding more mods to their orders in addition to the "Rapid Fire" base.

We understand that such a load of information can be overwhelming and created a special online tutorial where we’ve attempted to cover the most popular questions about a modded controller topic.

Are Modded Controllers Legal?

With hundreds of gaming forum pages dedicated to the modded controller's legitimacy discussions, it’s easy to get misled. Let me guide you in the right direction by sharing an expert opinion based on the knowledge of the industry from the inside and outside. Although third-party modded controllers are not officially recognized by industry key players such as Microsoft or Sony, they are perfectly legal and allowed to be used in the gameplay. You would want to ask why and here is the reason.

Xbox One and PS4-modified video game controllers come with a special chip inside that do nothing but press the buttons in a certain sequence, in a manner that would be challenging for a human to do. A modchip doesn’t hack or alter the game code, but it helps players by allowing them to free their hands up and take the pressure off the fingers that inevitably arise after playing for several hours straight. It can’t be called cheating in the conventional meaning of the word, but it can be compared to perks that players unlock as the game progresses. Are mods helpful? - Yes! Do they make you an ultimate player? - Absolutely not! You will still have to spend hours playing shooters to become familiar with maps and the best spots for attacks and hiding, and you will need to come up with a strategy that works. The modder advantage won’t help you with it. At the end of the day, it all comes down to practice and, you won’t believe it, your internet connection. Folks using wired controllers such as Razer Raiju and the Wolverine have an advantage over wireless pads users as the wired ones provide faster response time.

The second most important question concerns the state of your account with Sony or Microsoft if you decide to try a modified Xbox or Sony remote. Can you get banned for using one? The question is NO. Since the start of the modded controller revolution, there hasn’t been a single case registered. All the buzz going on on the internet is nothing but rumors and haters’ gossip to prevent newcomers from getting mods. Do not believe any opinions or stories about a friend of a friend who got banned for using a modded pad. I have been in the industry since it all started and I can be held responsible for the statement. Once again, a modchip is not hacking, it’s a way to execute the most common actions in the game with greater ease.

Aimbot Controller - Debunking Myths

The myth about powerful Aimbot controllers that, help you smash the competition with little or no effort on your side, has firmly settled in the minds of gamers, especially those who are new to modding. Having worked in customer care for some reputable modded companies for a number of years, I can say with confidence that one of the most frequently asked questions was “Do you have aimbot controllers?” And about 90% of inquiries wished to have the feature available for the multiplayer experience. Just imagine how such a magical mod, allowing to hit enemies on spot without any aiming, would affect the experience. All the fun and competition would be taken away and the game would be destroyed. Thankfully, the aimbot gaming controller, which is available for multiplayer, is just a big misconception. To come up with such a feature would require cracking the game code, which is, first, nearly impossible to do, and, second, is not the job of a modded pad. As it has been said above, the modchip only presses the buttons on the user’s behalf and has nothing to do with altering the game mechanics.

However, if you still can’t give up on the idea of implementing aimbot functionality in your gameplay, there are a couple of solutions for you. 2 mods delivering a somewhat Aimbot performance would be Quick Scope and Zombie Auto Aim features. The main advantage of Quick Scope is that it works in multiplayer and makes it easier to get the target by pressing a scope-in button and then firing, but it won’t help you with aiming. Zombie Auto-aim will take the pressure of aiming off your shoulders by automatically locking into the nearest enemy, but it is compatible with the campaign and COD Zombies modes only.

Best Modded Controller - What To Look For

Today’s modding market is full of companies offering a variety of modified gaming pads to suit every taste and purpose. It will be more correct to say that now the industry offers the most ideal conditions for the buyers, as all websites, that were unable to keep up with the quality standards and provide great custom controller designs along with customer care, simply went out of business. The ones, that are present now and doing well, have proved their strive to evolve with the rapidly developing market, deliver the best technology and provide superior post-purchase support to their customers.

Each company offers its own technology and modchip, a wide range of controllers and modifications, from cheap to expensive, from simple to high-end models. Focusing on the price may seem like a good idea, but this is not the best way to pick a product and have no regrets about the purchase afterward. Going solely by the look is also misleading as 2 products can look identical but have completely different internals. There is no universal advice on the modchip standards as well. Although an advanced technology offering easier navigation and a user-friendly menu cost more, it may be not what would work for your gaming style. It is something that needs to match your performance goals, favorite gaming maneuvers, and other aspects. Most websites offer similar mod functionality and more or less the same number of features that differ in the way they are activated and operated during the game. You will have to get a real feel for the controller and see how it responds to get a 100% understanding if there is a fit. Here are the key points you should take into consideration when searching for your perfect mod to ensure you will get the most value for your buck.

Build Quality And Performance

A couple of words about how a controller is modded at any reputable company facility. A technician takes apart an authentic Microsoft or PlayStation controller and installs a modchip inside along with any exterior modification required for a custom controller build. Besides a well-done soldering and installation part, the quality of custom parts also matters.

Most of the removable elements are made by third parties that may not copy the shape of factory parts ideally, therefore they may negatively affect the performance of the product. The best advice here is not to overload your remote with custom add-ons as trading performance for the look is not a smart thing to do and will inevitably leave you disappointed).

Operational Mod Button

There are 2 types of modified gaming pads on the market - the ones that come with a mod button and the ones that don’t offer it. This special extra button is a tactical switch installed on the back of the controller that turns all added mods on and off and is responsible for more manipulations with the options. The button location has been well thought through as it eliminates any chance of pushing the switch by accident during the game.

Controllers that come without the mod switch offer to operate the mods through existing product buttons. This can become very confusing, plus during heated gameplay, you may accidentally press them and turn an active mod off, for example.

Mods LED Indicator

This feature is an additional LED indicator installed on the controller faceplate. Its appearance, shape, and color options can vary depending on the brand. In my opinion, one of the most user-friendly mod LEDs on the market is the one that comes with 4 lights that are lit in different colors corresponding to certain mod options.

The main functionality of this special LED is to always keep the user aware of all enabled features, to make scrolling between mods and sub-modes simple and to help to keep a track of the custom numbers input process. Be aware that not all brands offer this option and just imagine using a product that doesn't inform you about the configuration of enabled mods or custom values entered. Mod LED indicator is a must-have option that will allow you to stay focused on the action in the game as opposed to getting stressed over simple controller operations.

Paddles System

Paddles is a relatively new function offered for PS4 and Xbox One Modded Controllers. It allows players to remap standard command assignments for all controller buttons to their liking. Located on the back of the product, they can come as switches, paddles, or buttons in the amount of 2, 4, or 6 parts. Most users claim 2 to 4 to be the optimal number of paddles as having more additional elements on the controller is not necessary and can interfere with the gameplay.

Many companies offer a hard-wired button remapping version where you get to choose the mapping at the time of the purchase, and it can’t be changed afterward. While one setting can work great for one game, it may not be the best option for the other. It is strongly suggested to go with fully programmable ones where you can do your own mapping and change it any time.

Compatible Games - Understanding Controller Mods

Here comes the final and one of the most important parts of a modded controller knowledge base - understanding mods compatibility and usability. As mentioned above, there is a good number of various mods offered on the market, each offering a special skill or ability to improve the gameplay. The only thing to remember is that all these options were designed for first-person shooters. If you are looking for ways to boost your performance in other video game genres, this news will disappoint you, but there are no mods compatible with sports games or action-adventure, or others.

Call Of Duty games, including World War II, have always had the largest amount of compatible mods for them as the brand has always been very popular worldwide and showed the best sales figures. Other great-selling titles, like Battlefield and Destiny, are compatible with 5 to 6 mods usually. The most universal mod is Rapid Fire, it works with all FPS - no wonder the industry started with it. The only 2 conditions required for the feature to perform are the controller fire button being the right trigger for Xbox 1 and R2 for PS4, respectively, plus the game has to offer semi-auto and single-shot weapons.

One very cool tip that helps to determine if any mod will work with the game of your interest (given that the mod is confirmed to be compatible with Call of Duty) is the similarity of the game button's functions to the default COD button layout options. The more in common they have, the more likely it is that a mod will perform with your game. To give you an example, shooting and jumping in any COD game in the default layout using the Xbox 1 controller, will require you to press the right trigger and A button. Jumpshot mod will automatically press A button on your behalf initiating a jump, once you press the fire button so that you complete both actions by pressing just one button. Jumpshot will work on the exact same principle in any other non-COD game. By understanding the mechanics of each mod, you can tell whether or not that feature will work with the game you play, as a mod is nothing but a special sequence of button presses performed by a modchip on your behalf, with no hacking involved.

Verdict

It’s hard to understand how using a modded controller can be seen as a threat to regular online gaming. Yes, a mod helps to perform a consequence of buttons in a fast and efficient manner, but by no means, it can make you an unbeatable player with pro gamer stats. It won’t give you the skills you don’t have, it won’t give you the knowledge of maps and feeling of the game dynamics and it won’t aim for you in the multiplayer where the most fun happens.

Now that you’ve practically become an expert in a modded controller subject, can you answer the question if they ruin the fun and give an unfair competitive edge in the game or if their effect on performance is overrated?