hahahaha....oh man...Fanboys, UNITE!

That is cool if true. We all know how accessories fail if the system doesn't launch with them. (FFXI with HDD, Sega CD, Jaguar CD, 32X anyone?) Their new controller should be a pack-in with the Xbox 720 if it comes out.

All consoles hop on the bandwagon eventually. If something does well, use the idea. Instant monies.

That's the ugliest controller I've ever seen. EVER.

I don't think they should release a motion-based controller until they have the next Xbox out. Which, based on their release schedule, should be the year after next year. Xbox in 2002 lead to a 2006 release, so the 360's release in 2006 will lead to a 2010 release.

Oh joy, a controller i could actually break apart while playing a game.

MS, please just stick to what you've got, the 360 is fantastic and doesn't need gimmicks.

@cebukid: @supershavin: That's the original wiimote, not the Xbox controller.

"This is New Coke! It's better!"

"This sucks"

"Presenting Classic Coke!"

When will people learn....

this is what really annoys me about microsoft, they always play it safe and only adopt technology when its basically ancient. Microsoft needs to adopt a stance in the console industry, right now there a good pretender.

Yeah, I think that prototype is for the Wii.

Mark my words people. The Wii will have no advantage next time on unique controller input aspect. All the consoles will be like that. ;)

Motion control is still just a gimmick. I personally don't really like it, and I turn it off whenever I can.

I'd say their best bet is one of two options (or combination of both)...

Pack it in with a huge title everyone will want to buy. Not sure what that would be after Halo 3...perhaps a special edition of Bioshock that uses the controls. I'd love to tilt the controler to throw the enrage plasmid!

Or, not have it be a seperate controller, but have it plug in like the keyboard add on.

What would they call it?

The X-mote?

Also, I would exactly say "always". They were the first console with a HDD and the first console with good online features and download.

I don't see how this is news. Both the ORIGINAL xbox and 360 controllers are the inputs inside them for the motion capture circuitry. Microsoft never bothered to put the technology in because they didn't feel it was a compelling feature.

Seeing as how the motion capture is poorly implemented and downright annoying and hindering in almost all of the PS3 games, I don't see why Microsoft would add this feature now... especially since RUMBLE is still relevant. :)

Not too surprised. PS3 has it, Wii has it, why not give it a go?

oops! would=wouldn't

And Sony's the only company to copy ideas right? Riiiiiigt....

@supershavin:

Yeah the 360 is just super already what with the RRoD and the plethora of expen$ive accessories you need to buy to get its full functionality. Agreed please don't add another peripheral MS.

What the hell is M$ thinking?

Hmm... That picture looks very much like one of the Sidewinder controller for PC that Microsoft released years ago. Needless to say the controller didn't do well, but of course it didn't have motion control either, at least not the Sidewinder that looks like the one from the picture.

It does kind of make sense for Microsoft to release it to capture some of those casual gaming crowds when they are sick of Wii's cheesy games 1 week after they bought the console. It would be like what Eyetoy was for PS2. It'll be there as a novelty to make way for the next gen Xbox.

Xbox360 - Adding shit on top since '07

Haha! Sony sucks. They're is always copying everyone else. Oh, wait.

Why is everyone getting so pissy about this? It's going to launch, fail, and nobody is going to care about it the next day, Microsoft included. It's not the end of the damn world.

is it okay if i just want to play games without having to move my arms around and about?

Well they say that imitation is the best form of...naw I can't do it. This is stupid. M$ should wait till next gen for motion controls. Afterthought add-ons almost never work.

@StrifeHawkins: I've actually kinda started to appreciate this position from Microsoft, and has made me appreciate their products a bit more. I own a Wii, but I'm more than slightly disappointed in the quality of the whole experience. Now that the technology is maturing, Microsoft might feel they could really do some truly interesting things with it.

Microsoft has never been at the cutting edge, but they sure know how to package relevant features to make a useful product.

man, some of you folks really are lame. more options for gamers is always better. giving developers another avenue for gamers to interact with content and manipulate gameplay elements is not a bad thing. if you don't like it, don't buy it. this is not going to be a replacement for existing 360 controls. it will just be an additional control method for some games.

for jebus' sake, get over yourselves.

I play my 360 about ten times as much as my Wii (I've not yet purchased a PS3) and to be frank, I could give a shit about motion control. It works alright for the Wii and what Nintendo was going for in terms of expanding audience and all of that but I see no need for this on 360 or PS3. If the devs for Lair had spent more time on the game itself rather than motion control perhaps it could have been playable. If anything, I would like to see a practical mouse/keyboard solution for shooters.

The Wii-mote will be an industry standard.

Look at other things Nintendo made standard...

1. D-Pad
2. Rumble
3. Diamond Button Setup (X, Y, B, A)
4. Analog Control

and now Gyroscoptic-Pointer Controller.

The next generation will be even playing ground. Expect Microsoft and Sony to be more casually minded.

@silkylove: The Microsoft strategy: release add-on now; play around with it a bit and get some feedback; release full-featured version with XBox #3 after learning from your mistakes.

v1 users will be beta testers, but it's a necessary step.

I think Nintendo's brightest move this generation was adding a multi-purpose peripheral port on the Wiimote. At least it feels like I'm upgrading my existing setup, as opposed to replacing it. I'm looking at you, PS3 rumble feature.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

@Cucco:
That's not how motion sensing works. Most of the movement is from the wrist.

@PissedPS3Fan:
It's up to developers to use it in a non-gimmicky fashion. Like in MoHH2, when you're in sight mode (holding "A") you can still move around with the analog stick, but if you want to lean out around a corner, you tilt the nunchuck. It works really well and I can't think of a better way to do it. Of course, they still use it when it doesn't need to be used (setting charges by rotating the Wii remote), but all-in-all the game really benefits from motion controls and IR sensing.

wait till next gen MS.

@Kirbytheslayer: Just Kirbytheslayer: Agree. Would be better to hold this until the Xbox 3.

@DigitalHero: You got it. PS3 copied the Wii poorly (motion wise). 360 is jumping on the bandwagon, probably also poorly. Next gen will see this standardized. Lets hope Nintendo has another trick up their sleeve.

It'd be an add-on, like the N64 rumble paks, and not a new controller. At any rate, I'm not interested, but I do wonder how this will all play out in the end.

Wow! Today is just full of discoveries! Now Microsoft has finally realized that casual controller for casual games!
...
Actually, if this is true then Microsoft's timing would just be genius because they would have a whole class of games that have functionality; their called Wii's Thirds Party publishers. Couple that with XBLA as a distribution platform and you have gold!
...
@StrifeHawkins:
It's not about aping the competition (a la Sony) but aping the competition at the right time and aping them competently.

There is no reason for them to do this. They have the "hardcore" crowd as their biggest customer. Why compete with the Wii as the 360 when you can compete with the PS3 which can't decide if it wants to compete with the Wii or 360? The 360 is doing just fine and will continue to do so with solid third party support and strong sales even with the PS3 and Wii out for over a year now.

MICROSFT: "LOOK! Motion controls! Oooh! Ahhh!"

SONY: "HEY! Microsoft's copying off of us!"

NINTENDO: "YOU copied off of US first, Sony!"

@DigitalHero: ...All of those features because standards, but the actual controller are long forgotten. The Analog stick may be standard, but the N64 controller's "retarded octopus" design was killed.

The Wiimote itself will die, only the good parts will be preserved. Motion sensing, and possibly the speaker.

motion controls are noting but a useless gimmick. i don't play games to flail around like some epileptic monkey, i play them to relax and enjoy myself. so far the only decent adapation of motion controls is Sony's Sixaxis. its passive, its there and you can use it for things in certain games but your hands don't have to go very far from your lap

though i guess all the consoles adopting wiimote like controls won't be all bad. there might be a resurgence in PC gaming because there won't be any good games left on consoles, just "Mini Game Bonanza #2316543216"

@Kirbytheslayer: Just Kirbytheslayer: 2001 and 2005. unless you aren't going off of the initial US launch

remember when the 360 fanboy went "YEAH SIXAXIS LOLOLOL, useless motion sensing crap"

glad i can give you that back :)

Oh Microsoft, you're the me-too-iest EVAR.

if it's anything like the sixaxis, they can keep it. and before you fanboys start, i have a ps3.

@Achaemenid: AMEN.

I love my ps3, but i gotta be honest, i dont like tilting the controller all that much. The only motion game i liked really was Super Rub-a-Dub, other than that, eh gimmicky. So honestly, i hope the whole motion thing dies out.

Ah, we knew it was coming eventually. Truth is, as a company, Microsoft needs to at least TRY to stay with current industry trends, and you can't argue with the Wii sales numbers, over a full year after it's launch. Truth is, maybe not all of that's due to the Wii's controller, which has been used in a gimmicky fashion in most all 3rd party games for the system, however, in the eyes of less educated consumers than the type that browse Kotaku (and usually make up most of the sales of systems and games) motion sensor = goooood. And to MS, sales = sales, no matter who's being sold to. It's going to get them a little bit of ire in the die-hard gamers' eyes, (as shown in previous comments), but it's not like it's going to significantly alter the system to the point of LESS people buying it. It's just expanding their market base. Let's see if anything cool on Live Arcade comes out of it.

@NeoAkira: Not to sound like a fanboy here but RROD aside, 360 is an amazing package. I never thought I would be gaming this much at the age of 27 but with XBL and a pretty steady flow of great games I have been thrilled with the purchase. What are all of these "expensie accessories" you are talking about? I bought a launch 360 (w/ HD) and an extra controller and mine is perfectly functional. Am I missing something?