People ask us why we’re Zen-only when XIM exists. Short version: they solve different problems. XIM Matrix is the best pad-to-mnk emulator on the market. Cronus Zen is the best scripting platform. Here’s how to pick.
What they’re actually for
XIM Matrix: you have a keyboard and mouse and you want to play console games with them. XIM translates keyboard/mouse input into controller signals the console accepts. It’s an emulator. Scripts on XIM exist but are a secondary feature; XIM’s whole pitch is mouse aim on console.
Cronus Zen: you have a controller and you want to modify what it does. The Zen sits between your pad and the console and transforms the input stream, driven by scripts written in GPC (a purpose-built mini-language). Scripts are the whole point.
Who should buy XIM
- You’re a lifelong mouse-and-keyboard player being dragged to console (by squad, by game availability, by preference)
- You want the sensation of m&k aim on games that don’t natively support it
- You’re OK with the fact that you’ll be an outlier in pad lobbies (most people running XIM are extremely good, which sometimes gets them reported)
Who should buy Zen
- You play with a controller and want to tune or augment its behavior (anti-recoil, shot timing, edit macros, etc.)
- You want access to a mature scripting community and vendors like us
- You care about the underlying behavior feeling “stock” to you and the opponent, scripts are invisible; XIM’s aim trace is identifiably mouse-like to careful observers
Why we’re Zen-only
We write scripts in GPC. GPC runs on Zen. Supporting XIM would mean rewriting in XIM’s native scripting, which is real but smaller scope than GPC, missing some of what we use, and the community around it is a fraction the size.
We could double our addressable market by shipping for both. We’d halve the quality of what we ship. Not the trade we want.
Can you have both?
Yes, some players own both and chain them (XIM for aim emulation + Zen for scripts on top). It’s awkward to cable and harder to tune, but it works. If you’re a professional streamer making a thing out of it, the dual-device path is valid. For 95% of players, pick one based on what you actually want.
Prices
- Cronus Zen: ~$95 from cronusmax.com (buy direct, skip Amazon counterfeits)
- XIM Matrix: ~$150 from xim.tech
Own a Zen already? We ship scripts for it every week. See the catalog →