APRIL 7, 2008 • MTV.com reports that Microsoft has been working since last August on a motion-sensitive controller for the Xbox 360 to compete with Nintendo’s Wiimote. Microsoft’s Rare studio is supposedly tasked with creating the unified interface for the controller, as well as its look. The report went onto say the Xbox 360 motion-sensitive controller is slated to debut by the end of 2008, with functionality greater than available with the Wiimote. Microsoft did not comment on the speculation.
Impact: Our question is what took so long? We would have expected Microsoft to start working on such a controller before the Wii even launched. Nevertheless, this is probably a case of too little, too late. The problem with a new controller scheme midway through a console’s life cycle is the issue of getting consumers to upgrade. The Wiimote launched as an integral part of the system and all games are designed from the start for that control scheme.
