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

My own controller-usage

[denisb]

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.

Who to Blame?

[Captain Large Face]

Is it surprising that there is a decline in games requiring peripherals other than a mouse and keyboard when Microsoft themselves seem to produce the majority of their games to be controlled by, erm, mouse and keyboard?

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

Didn't know any better..

[darkmayo]

First controller I had for my PC was a sidewinder game pad... the buttons and directional pad stopped working with far less wear and tear than my old snes controllers ever got.

Then for some reason I bought another sidewinder pad years later... same thing happend.

good riddance to crappy controllers.

M$ has only their crappy products to blame

[bmnc]

for poor sales. I bought Starlancer, and found I couldnt play it since the only control device for it was a M$ sidewinder joystick. I borrowed one from a friend (who NEVER used it) only to find the joystick was crap. I havent played Starlancer for more than 15min consequently. I bought a M$ sidewinder joypad so I could play old school platformers etc on my PC. This one is EVEN WORSE than the joystick. It has littel ridges designed to give your thumb blisters and the buttons are placed so that you can't do combos easily. I am GLAD that M$ has stopped hawking their effluent. On a side note, I own a M$ office keyboard and optical mouse and both are pretty damn good, so not all M$ products are crap.

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..