Microsoft Stops Making SideWinder Peripherals

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to a GameSpot article mentioning that Microsoft has discontinued its SideWinder range of gaming peripherals, which includes joysticks, gamepads, and racing wheels. According to the article, "..a Microsoft representative said the decision is a result of the continued decline in sales of all PC game controllers and the fact that most PC games are designed specifically to be controlled with a mouse and keyboard." What did you use your PC joystick/gamepad for, and why do you think the SideWinder PC peripheral market was popular in the first place?

Comments

Quake

[Anonymous Coward]

I remember Microsoft at one of the first Quake cons trying to convince people they could play quake with a sidewinder. It was a joke. The rep kept getting his ass kicked by even the most mundane players. He looked like a sad guy. Felt bad for him so I let him beat me. Even then I had to play like a retard.

Bye bye sidewinder...you useless pos

Emulation

[Gr33nNight]

The MS controller works great for all those ROMS that I (dont) have. And even if I did have them, I own every game for which I have a ROM to..

Arcade sticks are so much cooler.

[iainl]

With either a Dreamcast or Hori arcade stick through a console to USB adaptor you get a far better feel on things than a crummy cursor layout for games. Spindizzy Worlds is just the absolute Don with one.

What, you mean there are games other than through emulators?

Dissenting Voice

[Monthenor]

I don't know why there's so much anti-Sidewinder sentiment on here. It makes me sad to see M$ stop supporting a key piece of hardware, and gives me yet another reason to never upgrade from Win98SE. I bought my Sidewinder gamepad about five years ago and it's still going strong. I use it for MAME, Fighter Kyodotai, MAME, emulators, and...oh yeah, MAME. I've never had problems, except that the pad isn't easy to make Dragon Punch motions with.