Microsoft works on reducing Chrome GamePad delay on Windows 11

According to the latest Chromium post, Microsoft is working on enhancing the web gaming experience on Windows 11, primarily for gamers using gamepads, such as Xbox controllers, in Chromium-based browsers like Edge and Chrome.

What was the issue?

Gamepads have been compatible with Chromium browsers for some time now, allowing players to use them for web-based gaming. However, input latency, i.e., the delay between pressing a button and the browser acknowledging the input, spoils the overall gaming experience. Additionally, the issue is not due to the use of wireless controllers; it stems from the way browsers detect GamePad inputs.

Currently, Chromium utilizes a polling mechanism (navigator.getGamepads()), which continuously checks for input changes in a loop. While this method is effective, it introduces noticeable lag, mainly when playing fast-paced and latency-sensitive games. Now, Microsoft is working on fixing this by introducing a new event-driven input system.

How will this work?

In a proposal spotted by Windows Latest, Microsoft confirmed that it is working on a new system prototype based on the rawgamepadinputchange event. In contrast to polling, this event fires immediately whenever new input data is available, making the input feel instantaneous.

Microsoft stated, “

Instead of relying on frequent polling via navigator.getGamepads(), developers can now listen for a rawgamepadinputchange event, which fires whenever new input data is available from the device. This allows for more responsive input handling, particularly in latency-sensitive applications.

This change is currently under development and will be rolled out soon to Chromium browsers on Windows 11 and 10.

Why does it matter?

While web gaming is not a popular choice for gamers with gamepads, this improvement can significantly impact cloud gaming and streaming services, which heavily rely on browser interfaces.

This change is directed towards streaming game clients that replicate user inputs on the server in real-time, where reducing latency is crucial. Microsoft also mentioned,

For these applications, the overhead of potentially handling a rawgamepadinputchange event on every input frame is acceptable.

In addition to this update, Microsoft also addressed user complaints about dull or washed-out visuals when playing HDR content in Chrome on Windows 11 by providing better API support. The fix is being rolled out with the Windows 11 2022 Update (version 22H2).

What do you think about this new development in web gaming on Windows 11? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.