Microsoft 'Wait and See' On Motion Controller

CVG is reporting that Microsoft has developed a 'wait and see' attitude toward the concept of incorporating motion controls into Xbox 360 games. Despite the popularity of the Wii, and the inclusion of the system in the PlayStation 3, Microsoft's Chris Satchell stated in an interview with the website that the company is still cool on the idea. Says Satchell, "There's no point building the hardware if nobody really wants it ... One thing I'm not certain of is that third-parties are super-excited about that motion control - or at least they're not showing it with the games that are hitting the shelves yet ... We're yet to see a really good game on Wii that really says 'OK that control kicked ass'." This is at odds with statements from Peter Moore from earlier this year, who stated that the company does have motion control plans in the works. CVG will have the complete interview up soon, which might give more context to his statements.

Comments

Hello, LucasArts...

[icthus13]

"We've yet to see a really good game on Wii that really says 'OK that control kicked ass'." Lightsaber battles, anyone?

um, what?

[AdmiralWeirdbeard]

There's no point in building something if noone wants it.
ok, that's true.

But...wait what?

Clearly people want it, and clearly people have been finding the technology to be adding to the gaming experience on the wii.

What he really should have said is, 'well, nintendo is already doing a pretty good job of locking that down, so we're not going to bother competing'
Its one thing to have been all skeptical before it came out, but to claim now that nobody wants it is just plain bullshit. So you'd rather compete with the PS3, fine, its a more natural competitor anyways. Just try not to smear any more bullshit around than you have to, mmmkay?

Re:um, what?

[Osty]

Clearly people want it, and clearly people have been finding the technology to be adding to the gaming experience on the wii.

Comparing what Microsoft might do to the Wii is a little disingenuous. I suspect any motion-sensing controller for the 360 will look much more like Sony's SIXAXIS (or Microsoft's own old Sidewinder Freestyle Pro) than Nintendo's WiiMote. Add to that the fact that this is inherently an add-on and add-ons generally don't do well (the only mid-life controller-functionality change I can think of that actually caught on was the PSX Dual Shock), and it really doesn't make much sense for Microsoft to do a motion-sensing controller right now.

It makes more sense for Microsoft to bide their time and spend the next couple years researching the technology rather than try to rush out a "Me too!" motion-sensing controller. The 360 is complementary to the Wii, and has the PS3 beat on controller functionality (rumble beats controller-form-factor motion sensing any day -- I'd much rather have rumble feedback for a racing game than the ability to turn the controller like a steering wheel, for example). The next Xbox is probably only 3 years away (2010), which gives Microsoft plenty of time to find the right combination of technologies for a truly next-generation control scheme (how about an EyeToy/Xbox Live vision camera input system that actually works?).

Re:um, what?

[Blakey Rat]

Actually, this asshat saying that technology X is not desired by the public, when one of his main competitors is currently making a killing marketing technology X is disingenuous.

You're reading it completely wrong. Saying "there's no sense in building something if nobody would buy it" doesn't imply that Nintendo is selling something that "nobody buys." That wouldn't even make sense.

He probably said it to highlight that, at the time the Xbox 360 was conceived and designed, motion-sensing controllers were considered something that nobody would buy. And, honestly, you can't blame Microsoft for thinking that. Nintendo did a great job of creating a market for motion-sensing controllers that simply did not exist two years ago.

The other statement he makes about motion-sensing controllers is that third party developers aren't embracing it. And honestly, that also seems like an accurate statement to me... so far all the 'killer apps' on the Wii are made by Nintendo. Microsoft doesn't operate the way Nintendo does; while they make first-party games, the console requires third-party games to be successful.

I agree with the grandparent that, strategically, Microsoft's already in a pretty good position. It's been shown that the "killer Cell graphics" on the PS3 aren't much better than the Xbox 360 graphics have been the entire last year, and ditching the rumble-pack for a half-functional motion-sensor was a bad move on Sony's part (IMHO.) Microsoft can afford to bide their time right now and wait for the Xbox 3 (whatever it'll be called) to introduce whatever new controller model makes the most sense.

No contradiction here...

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

Microsoft's Chris Satchell stated in an interview with the website that the company is still cool on the idea. Says Satchell, "There's no point building the hardware if nobody really wants it..." This is at odds with statements from Peter Moore from earlier this year, who stated that the company does have motion control plans in the works.

To not have any plans would be foolish, but to rush into a project like this would also be silly. So...I don't see the contradiction.

Microsoft's classic business strategy has always been to extend the best ideas of the first wave and sell an improved version of the idea to the masses anyway. (Just ask the first generation of Macs, Netscape, Lotus, etc.)

No one really wants it?

[Frag-A-Muffin]

from TFA:
"There's no point building the hardware if nobody really wants it..."

What part of the 6 million Wiis sold to date says "no one wants it"? I know I sure want it. My friends want it. My friends' parents even want it! Unless he's just talking about the "hardcore" market again?

Re:No one really wants it?

[HappySqurriel]

I would say that he is probably correct in saying that no one wants a motion controller for the XBox 360... Developers don't want it because it would be an add on and practically no consumers would have it, and Consumers don't want it because so few game developers will support it at all.

Re:No one really wants it?

[MooseMuffin]

My girlfriend wanted one since she heard about it. We couldn't find one at release and I finally managed to get a hold of one to give her in February. We had a blast with Wii sports for about 2 hours, but I've never played the thing a second time and she got bored of it about a week later. Shes not interested in Zelda (I pointed out that makes her crazy) and she can't find a 2nd game worth buying, and frankly I can't either.

The Wii has a lot of hype and a lot of potential, but MS is mostly right on with the "We're yet to see a really good game on Wii that really says 'OK that control kicked ass'" quote.

Re:No one really wants it?

[Frag-A-Muffin]

Just because people want the Wii does not mean people really want the controller. I mean, by that logic just because you buy a Dell means that you want all the spyware/crapware that is loaded on by default.

Let's be honest here. It's the controller that *is* the selling feature of the Wii. If you don't think so, then you've obviously never played it.

Re:Awesone games: Wii Sports. Others: None.

[AbsoluteXyro]

Yeah....

We all know Wii owners certainly AREN'T playing

Wario Ware
Rayman
Trauma Center
Excite Truck
Madden 07
Elebits

Cuz, you know, Wii Sports is the only game on the Wii that puts motion controls to great use. Yup. Keep telling yourself that.