Microsoft will block unauthorized Xbox controllers and other accessories in November 2023

Microsoft apparently decided to crack down on "unauthorized" Xbox accessories. As spotted by Windows Central, Microsoft's Xbox consoles started to show error messages when connected to accessories without the official Xbox licensing (controllers, headsets, steering wheels, joysticks, etc), stating the following (from a UK-based Xbox):

A connected accessory is not authorised

Using unauthorised accessories compromises your gaming experience. For this reason, the unauthorised accessory will be blocked from use on 12/11/2023. For help returning it, check with the store it came from or contact the manufacturer.

To see authorized accessories, go to www.xbox.com/accessories. (0x82d60002)

A few days ago, Brook Gaming, one of the affected manufacturers, published a message on X (formerly Twitter), confirming user reports of error 0x82d60002 "A connected accessory is not authorized." Brook Gaming claims the message appears on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles with software version 10.0.25398.2266 released on October 16, 2023, rendering some of its product completely or partially unusable.

According to Windows Central, Microsoft changed its approach to licensing third-party wireless accessories to allow manufacturers develop unique gamepads, not just reskinned Xbox Wireless Controllers. Blocking controllers and other peripherals without the official "Designed for Xbox" badge may be a result of those changes.

If you have an unofficial Xbox controller or other "unauthorized" accessories (Amazon is filled to the brim with questionable-looking and dirt-cheap gamepads with USB dongles), ditching it seems like the only option. The official Xbox Wireless Controller from Microsoft is currently on sale on the Microsoft Store, allowing you can grab one in multiple colors for $54.99 and save $5. However, there are no definitive lists of soon-to-be-disabled accessories, so you will just have to wait for November 12 and see what happens to your controller, headset, or steering wheel.