Microsoft intros Xbox 360 controller with redesigned D-pad

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Confirming recent rumors, Microsoft has announced an updated Xbox 360 controller. Major Nelson has posted a video showing the gamepad's new features (seen below). Although the changes are mostly aesthetic, fans of arcade-style fighting games will appreciate the redesigned directional pad Redmond's engineers have cleverly modified the D-pad so it can be twisted from the disc you're all familiar with to a raised "plus" configuration for more precise cardinal input.

Other changes include grey A, B, X and Y buttons (instead of the original's green, red, blue and yellow), and the analog sticks have a rigidly indented surface. The controller itself is silver instead of white, with black accents replacing the grey. It will only be available in the new Play & Charge kit that is expected to reach US stores on November 9 for $64.99. Microsoft will show the device at PAX Prime in Seattle this weekend if you're in the area, and Nelson is giving a few away for free.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/40127-microsoft-intros-xbox-360-controller-with-redesigned-d-pad.html

 

[LinkedKube]

That's pretty cool. Accommodate different player needs.

 

[KG363]

Why would the get rid of the color. It simplifies everything

 

[LinkedKube]

Why would the get rid of the color. It simplifies everything

I think because they realized the largest part of their market wont consist of 3 year olds.

 

[EXCellR8]

or to tailor to people who are color blind...

 

[Tekkaraiden]

I'm curious why they didn't make it match the new Xbox 360.

 

[gwailo247]

65 bucks?

That's kinda like paying a 130 bucks for a 250 GB hard drive...

 

[Guest]

I attempted to give a * and failed.

 

[Guest]

Or Sixty bucks a year to play online..............for God's sake Xbox owner,just buy a descent P.C..

 

[Renrew]

Xbox is fast becoming the gold standard of gaming---your gold for a standard console.

 

[yukka]

Convex analogue sticks.. I have 4 wireless pads already and they are all convex.

 

[9Nails]

kg363 said:
Why would the get rid of the color. It simplifies everything

I want to hear that answer too! Because when my wife plays Rock Band, which is the only game she plays on Xbox, I have to remind her which buttons to press. And its a lot easier to tell her not to press "red" than it is to tell her "b" because A,B, X, Y isn't an alphabetical pattern that she's used to and she has to read all the buttons before she finds "b" but red stands out quicker than the other buttons and she doesn't have to read anything.

She's starting to understand that green is go, red is back, etc. And these new colors will mes her up. And if she's messed up, I can't get her to play more games with me. And if we're not playing games, my money has to go to other things, like Operas and Museum tours, and I don't like those things!

 

[Johny47]

Getting rid of the colurs for X(blue) Y(yellow) B(red) and A(green) makes it looks so cheap and crap, and a 'redesign' of the d-pad? Microsoft your about 5 years too late hahaha =/

But for people who play on the shitbox 360 then it's a 'better late than never' thing. I really didn't like the older d-pad it felt 'tacked on' but they really shouldn't have changed the colour buttons I said about above.

 

[Guest]

I think they are over-thinking, and wasting their time on unnecessary things. The Xbox controller is pretty good, why redesign things that already work well?

As of now, DualShock 3 remains the greatest controller ever made; it's simplistic, lightweight and it works as promised. Hopefully the next time MS wants to "redesign" their controller, they do something truly significant and useful to it.

 

[tengeta]

Guest said:
I think they are over-thinking, and wasting their time on unnecessary things. The Xbox controller is pretty good, why redesign things that already work well?

As of now, DualShock 3 remains the greatest controller ever made; it's simplistic, lightweight and it works as promised. Hopefully the next time MS wants to "redesign" their controller, they do something truly significant and useful to it.

An intelligent, well written opinion with little to no bias.

Whats that? I heard some gagging in the background... Oh well.

 

[Guest]

An intelligent, well written opinion with little to no bias.

Whats that? I heard some gagging in the background... Oh well.

Well buddy, if it makes you feel any better, at the very least he did say the Xbox controller is pretty good.

Just grow up...

 

[lawfer]

An intelligent, well written opinion with little to no bias.

Whats that? I heard some gagging in the background... Oh well.

He does have a point though: DualShock 3 is the best possible controller, as of now. I can't come up with a controller as lightweight, simplistic, and that works (not to mention, without batteries) as good. Alternatively, its design, since the inception of the DualShock 1 back in the late 90s, has been used as a standard model for computer joystick/gamepads for two of the best and oldest pc gamepad companies; Saitek and Logitech.

The Xbox controller is pretty darn good, but even its very design is a prototype of the DualShock; and there's nothing to be ashamed of, since the very virtual boy controller (from Nintendo) was the first to copy its design, back in the mid 90s.