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Microsoft Stops Making SideWinder Peripherals

Posted by simoniker on from the the-joy-of-stick dept.

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?

6 of 90 comments (clear)

  1. My own controller-usage by denisb · · Score: 4, Interesting

    After I bought one of those PS2-to-USB converter thingies and a PS2 controller I haven't used my normal PC joysticks / gamepads at all.

    What they claim is true to a certain degree in my experience, the best PC only games are definitely better played with mouse & keys, while the ports / dual platform titles are more often than not best played on the console, using the console controller.

    However I do believe there are a number of PC controller users who will disagree. There is probably quite a few nice PC controllers out there that definitely enhance the gaming experience. IMHO though the PS2 controller is very nice for those games best not played with a keyboard, like puzzlers and arcadegames.

    --
    life+universe+everything=42
  2. Joysticks rule by Naikrovek · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Hey for flight games (flight sim 2004 comes out in less than a month) a force feedback joystick is almost essential - FS2002 (and none of its predecessors) worked well AT ALL with just a keyboard and mouse.

    I'm going to buy two force feedbacks just so i know i'll always have one for the flight sim stuff.

  3. GTA III by Graf · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Decided I needed a sidewinder gamepad for GTA III. Don't think I've used it for any other games (well, apart from vice city) but it was still a damn sight cheaper than buying a PS2.

  4. Not really a big deal by a_peckover · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This really isn't much of a problem. In my experience a PS2 pad with a USB adaptor is enough for any joypad requiring PC games, and there are plenty of other manufacturers (Logitech, for example) who will step in to the void.

    It's a shame, however, that they didn't put the same skill in to the design of the original XBox pads that they did with the Sidewinder range. Maybe then we wouldn't have ended up with the uncomfortably placed buttons and stiff triggers.

  5. Hmm.. no surprise. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    If you do have a controller you will notice some games (indiana jones, enter the matrix ), play exactly like they do in the Xbox. hmm.. is MS trying to cut down on controllers so people have to buy xboxes to get console like gameplay?

  6. Re:Didn't know any better.. by Dsal · · Score: 2, Interesting

    My biggest problem with the old 6 button sidewinder aside from the mushy D-pad was that the 6 buttons' layout was curved weird and they were slighly off center from each other. Your fingers kind of got lost on there.

    A lot of times it was hard to tell which button you were pressing without looking down at the pad. They probably should've made it more like the Saturn's 6 Button controller.