Xbox 360 motion controller rumor in full swing

Posted by Editor || 12/31/2007 - 08:37 || 13 comments

The hottest Xbox 360 speculation today has Microsoft releasing a motion controller for its game console, similar to that of Wii or PlayStation3. The rumor comes from XboxFamily.com that claims a company out of Saratoga, California has been contracted to build the device.

Of course a Microsoft spokesperson refused to comment on rumors or speculation and had nothing useful to share to the interactive entertainment news site, Next-gen.biz when he said:

"Microsoft does not comment on rumors or speculation. And I have nothing further to share,"

It's easy to see Microsoft building such an add-on for the Xbox 360. It worked so well for both Wii and PlayStation 3 that many Xbox fans would probably be willing to crack open their wallet for some arm swinging integrated into their favorite games.

Nintendo Wii and its motion controller have rocked gaming to its foundation. Bringing in a new wave of former non-gamers with its addictive, natural motion game-play has made Wii one of the hottest tech-toys of 2007.

While not as comprehensive as Wii, PlayStation 3 also has its own motion capabilities. It adds an extra element of interactivity when you're playing games like Call of Duty 3 and want to use the butt of your rifle in a melee attack. Give the PS3 controller a quick twist and your opponent is suddenly in the market for a good dentist. Very satisfying!

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Comments

Go Gettem writes:

" I think that it if it is Microsoft the game action will be mostly in the wrist action. Kinda like shacking dice, pratice it and all you geeky fellows will be much better..."

WiiMan writes:

Isn't it funny how Microsoft has been copying ideas off of the other, successful companies to make their own "great" system? Since the beginning they've done this! look at the controllers! Clearly ripped right off Gamecube controllers! A, B (which Sony didn't use so it would've been acceptable for Microsoft not to use them) X, Y, Right Trigger (spare me), Left Trigger. Also, can't you push in the analog sticks? It's not like Sony did that first or anything. Wait a minute...yes they did!! Microsoft keeps making money off ideas they took from the other consoles, and the only major good games for XBOX are shooters. How about a game with a good story and some innovation? Excuse me, but I don't think Microsoft deserves the recognition they're getting for the xbox. But people just keep buying into it!! Pfft...

Ugotownedo writes:

Yeah, Microsoft is copying. But then again, who the hell isn't?!

Nintendo didn't invent memory cards, but they used them in the Gamecube.

Sony didn't invent online connectivity, Dreamcast did, but they implemented it into the PS2. They didn't invent motion sensitivity, but the PS3 controller has it.

Besides, it's a controller. With the exception of Wii, how innovative can you get? Analogue sticks, colored buttons, logo in the front... how creative can you get?

My point is that even though Microsoft took ideas from other companies (every company does, Sony even got a lawsuit for copyright infringement for the motion sensitivity in their controllers), they still had innovation. It's all about improving past ideas. Microsoft implemented adjustable triggers, as opposed to the click ones that PS2 had (the Gamecube controllers's triggers sucked). Sony and Nintendo used memory card; Microsoft went ahead and put in a hard drive! And don't forget Live.

And you claim that the games have no story? Dude, look at Halo, Mass Effect, Gears of War... they all have a great story. And besides, having a story is more of a feature of a game, games are meant to be fun, not just tell a story. Just look at Mario. All of the game I just said are fun.

By the way, I'm not a fanboy, I have a Wii, a 360, and a Playstation, so I know what I'm talking about.

rhett1975 writes:

This is the same stale argument used over and over again with no real purpose. You might as well use the argument, "Just look at how Chevy copied Ford when they decided to put four wheels on their version of a car." If the idea works, then use it. Who cares who came up with the idea first? MS does deserve recognition for putting something together that people like, regardless of how similar it is. Look at it from a total package point of view, not an individual piece POV.

WiiMan writes:

not in the on lingo, so what is POV? Frankly, I'm tired of people saying there are no good games for Wii when this cannot be said for ANY game system. All people have their own preferences, leaving the good game judgement to each individual person. What do you think of this? Why do XBOX owners (all that I've met) claim all of their games are better and every game for Wii sucks, even the third party games that every system has (claiming the Wii version sucks whereas the xbox version doesn't)

Ugotownedo writes:

POV mean point of view.

As for those people who say that the Wii games suck, well... they're kind of right. Don't get me wrong, Super Mario Galaxy is awesome, but as of right now, most of the games on Wii sort of "suck." Sure, it depends on who's playing, but then again, most of the people who say that the games on the Wii are awesome are noobs. Think about it, mainly families are buying Wii. In other words, they don't know any better. They think that Excite Truck is about as good as games can get, because they probably haven't seen other games like Final Fantasy X, Gran Turismo 4, Halo 3, Gears of War, Grand Theft Auto, etc. On the other hand, most PS3 and Xbox 360 owners have played both types of games, the "noob" ones and the hardcore ones. So of course they're going to rip on the Wii for have only family games.

And 3rd party games are almost always better because the developers turn motion sensitivity into a gimmick. They implement motion sensitivity and IR (pointing) very poorly. Look at Call of Duty 3. On 360, it was good, but on Wii, the controls sucked. Plus, 360 and PS3 have better graphics, and that's one of the things that these people look for.

And another thing that people don't realize is that the Wii is targeted towards a different audience. They're not going after hardcore gamers, they're going after families, females, and older people. So I'm sure that if Nintendo tried, they could've achieved good graphics, etc, but they're not. They focused on party games right now. So until Super Smash Bros Brawl, Mario Kart Wii, and a good first-person-shooter with decent online play comes out for Wii, you can't really blame 360 and PS3 owners for bashing the Wii for its "crappy" games.

WiiMan writes:

I can see what you're getting at, and I can't say its a wrong point of view. Nintendo is focusing on more family oriented games. My guess is that they saw Microsoft and Sony focusing more on the same old audience, so they made an attempt to get more people in, probably for more sales, and you can't say they're doing BAD in the sales department! What I say is that they've had a large amount of innovation and they should be recognized for it. Looking for graphics is really pathetic in my opinion, I mean who really cares if we can see the amount of neck hair the main character has if the story and idea isn't good? A bit of an exaggeration, as I'm sure SOME of these same old shooters must have somewhat of a good idea for people to be buying them still, but I say they're not as innovative as some of Nintendo's ideas (though these ideas are not exactly for HARDCORE gamers, as you said, they are still to be recognized as not bad ideas for the overall population) And my friend bought Call of Duty 3, and I heard it was very bad for Wii. I will not argue this, but a game like The Godfather used the motion sensitivity very well, and I've heard about other versions and it seems like the Wii version is the best of all of them. So you can't say this for ALL of the 3rd party games, though I will not deny that it IS true for quite a few. We also must remember that this is the beginning. I heard at one point that Nintendo's next console would be it's last. I don't know where I heard this, or if its even true, but considering that, they intend to be using the Wii for a lot longer than they used the Gamecube. They have a lot of time to make any type of game they want. I think sales will jack up as well with games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart Wii, so we should wait until then and see who wins the sales battle for now. Now, if my memory serves correctly, xbox wasn't around for a very long time before xbox 360 was released, whereas PS2 has been around for a long time. This may be a mistaken impression as time seems to fly by lately, but why did Microsoft rush?

Ugotownedo writes:

True that. To sum it all up, the main reason as to why a lot of gamers rip on the Wii is because they don't realize that Nintendo is aiming for a different audience, and that they are not directly competing with Sony and Microsoft.

I sort of disagree with you about the graphics thing. Striving for better graphics isn't pathetic. It depends on what game, and how they're using these better graphics. For example, trying to make Mario ultra-realistic is pretty stupid, you just can't do it. Super Mario Galaxy is about as good as Mario graphics can go. But for a driving game, and a first-person-shooter, better graphics help. A realistic driving game could always use better graphics, because, well, it'd be more realistic. And in a first-person-shooter, better graphics help immerse the player in the game and the story. Besides, everyone like better graphics because it shows improvement. What the point in buying a new generation console if it looks the same as before? It just makes a console seem more "new" and top-of-the-line. Plus, they need to have a graphical improvement so consoles can comepete with PCs (have you seen Crysis?!). However, it is pathetic if a game is all graphics, but no fun.

There is one thing that I agree with the graphics whores with though: what does "bad" graphics have to do with innovative gameplay? Nintendo was very smart in introducing a different way of playing (motion control and pointing), but just because you do that, doesn't mean you have to skimp out on the graphics and power. Plus, it would have helped future-proof the Wii. You see what I mean, right?

I know, the Xbox was cut off way too early. But the thing is, Microsoft and Nvidia (the company that made the graphics chip is the Xbox) were having arguments and licensing problems, so Nvidia stopped making the chips in the summer of 2005. Those arguments are also the reason that the Xbox 360's graphics chip is made by ATI, not Nvidia.

WiiMan writes:

You're right, all of what you have said has made sense. Skimping out on the graphics, I assume, had to do with the pricing. That way, they could keep the lower price and have that against the other, more graphically powerful consoles. Understandable, yet, it would've made better sense for themselves to "future-proof", as you said, the Wii. I have no other argument, this discussion has cleared my vision.

Ugotownedo writes:

Honestly, I don't think they should build a motion sensing controller. It's fine as it is. instead, they should upgrade it so that it has built-in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, so we won't have to use AA.

Besides, when PS3 got motion-sensing capabilities, everyone thought it was a cheap copy of the Wii; imagine what people will think of this!

I think they should wait until the next generation.

Gizmo n00b writes:

Lair is one of the worst examples of six-axis on the PS3 (followed closely by Heavenly Sword). A game that makes great use of it is Drake's Fortune, and the various PSN games that use it.

Xbox fan writes:

i can't wait! i wonder if it'll be more like the one for playstation or the one wii nunchucks?

360owner writes:

Meh. I've played lair on my friends ps3 and found the motion sensing to be less enjoyable than the wii. Although im not completely enamored by the wii either as I'm so used to dual analog joysticks. I dont think ill bite if MS releases this. What they need is an fps that takes longer than 5 days to beat. Cough..halo3...COD4...bioshock...cough.

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