Xinput™:

One controller, two platforms: for PC & Xbox 360®

Xinput™ is an API that allows applications to receive input from the Xbox 360® Controller for Windows.

With Xbox 360®, Microsoft® is moving to a common peripheral approach in which game-controllers for Xbox 360® will work on Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) and later versions. This approach is known as “Microsoft® Common Controller Driver Model”.