For this demonstration I will be using the Wired Xbox 360 controller, which is also built for PC use.
Here is a picture of me plugging the USB end of the wire into my PC's front USB Hub.
The controller will proceed to flash on and of momentarily, this means the controller is loading, and the drivers are beginning their work to get the controller working on our PC.
Once the process is complete, the controller will glow green in one area to indicate the player 1 controller is active and working on our PC!