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Nintendo Businesses Microsoft Entertainment Games

Microsoft Praises Revolution Controller 76

Posted by Zonk from the not-all-bad-pr dept.
JoaoPinheiro writes "In an unexpected change from the big three companies slagging each other off, Microsoft's Peter Moore gives kudos to Nintendo's new controller! Xbox VP Peter Moore has said he wanted 'to give kudos [to] Nintendo for its attempt at innovation with the new controller.' Whether the word attempt is meant to hint at some slight sarcasm is debatable, though the overall message was positive. Moore commented the new device would 'bring people in that, as Iwata-san said, are either lapsed gamers or gamers that are intimidated by the complexity of the controller.' He referenced Microsoft's E3 speech, where it was said the company wanted a billion consumers touched by the gaming industry next generation. 'That was an industry message. Certainly, we can see Nintendo rallying to that cry and reiterating what Robbie said on May 16th; I heard the same words come from Iwata-san of Nintendo yesterday.'"
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Microsoft Praises Revolution Controller More

Microsoft Praises Revolution Controller

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  • obviously they were being condescending (Score:4, Insightful)

    by draccip ( 915410 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:47PM (#13632987)
    just another way of saying nintendo is niche now. and not really a competitor.

  • Oh Microsoft (Score:3, Interesting)

    by RealityMogul ( 663835 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:48PM (#13632992)
    That was an industry message. Certainly, we can see Nintendo rallying to that cry

    Gee, almost sounds like Microsoft is taking credit for motivating Nintendo to innovate. No wait a second, it sounds EXACTLY like MS taking credit.

    • Re:Oh Microsoft (Score:1, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward
      It does sound a bit like that. I think this line from the article makes Microsoft's true intentions clear, though:
      "Moore went on to argue that the digital lifestyle functionality of Xbox 360 will offer non-gaming consumers a similar incentive to get involved in the market...."
      Nintendo is in the news now, and Microsoft is jumping up and down yelling "We're innovating too! Hey! Look over here!" It's just an attempt to get into the headlines.
    • No, "This is the message we've been spreading, and we can see Nintendo rallying to that cry" sounds EXACTLY like MS taking credit. Saying that potential consumers have been crying for more ease of play, and Nintendo is rallying to that cry, does NOT sound EXACTLY like MS taking credit.

  • X360 and PS3 adaptor (Score:4, Interesting)

    by frankmu ( 68782 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:49PM (#13633011) Homepage
    i'd like to see them follow up with an adaptor for the Revolution remote. then we can see some nintendo inovation spill over to Sony and Microsoft. .... probably won't happen though :)
    • When M$ makes good comments, it usually means they are only a step away from copying you. OR buying you out. Your wish might come true.

    • The above poster is correct, MS will probably just copy it rather than doing that. Making an adapter sounds like a bit a waste of resources anyway (doing something to allow you to use a controller that many/the majority? of 360 users won't own, etc)

      • Patents (Score:2, Insightful)

        by tepples ( 727027 )

        MS will probably just copy it

        Nintendo has invested a lot of money in Immersion, the holder of patents on key technologies incorporated into the Revolution remote. What makes you think Immersion is going to want to grant an affordable license under these patents to Microsoft?

        • That's true, but they wouldn't have to license the tech if they didn't copy it too closely (even if they did, look at the size of their legal fund). If they made something somewhat similar and didn't outright copy the controller there there probably isn't much Nintendo or Immersion could do about it.

          • That's true, but they wouldn't have to license the tech if they didn't copy it too closely (even if they did, look at the size of their legal fund).

            Immersion has beaten Microsoft before at the settlement table in regard to rumble patents.

        • Where are the patents? This is the first I have heard of any patents on the revolution controller concept (it seems to me to be functionally identical to a gyroscopic mouse with one extra degree of freedom). If you are speaking of the rumble patents that is a bit unfair (it isn't something unique to this controller and it is something Microsoft has already dealt with in their current controllers).

          • This is the first I have heard of any patents on the revolution controller concept (it seems to me to be functionally identical to a gyroscopic mouse with one extra degree of freedom).

            Patent applications aren't published until 18 months after application. Perhaps the processes going on inside the Revolution controller are just patent pending, but the patents are likely to be granted during the next console's lifetime so that other console makers can't standardize on the technology.

  • funny (Score:5, Funny)

    by xutopia ( 469129 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:49PM (#13633014) Homepage
    "to give kudos [to] Nintendo for its attempt at innovation"

    Only Microsoft can innovate. Other people attempt to innovate! :)

    • Yeah, but that's true for every company. Also, competitors have problems, one's own company has challenges. Competitors struggle, one's own company strives. Think of it as the same verb that conjugates differently depending on whether it's first, second, or third person.
    • Just like adding bigger wheels to your car is innovation and replacing the entire dashboard with something that's never seen the inside of a car before is merely an attempt at such. :)
  • "..good thing Nintendo is taking the risk, because we get to see if their plan will work out. And if it does, we'll bury them with our own MS version!" (insert cackle here)

  • Microsoft Kudos (Score:5, Insightful)

    by dakirw ( 831754 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:57PM (#13633103)
    It's nice to see that Microsoft admires the courage behind the decision to change the controller interface. Of course, they're probably hoping that the Revolution falls flat on its face so that it really will only be a two horse console race.

    Wouldn't be too surprised to see an imitation controller from Microsoft down the road if the Revolution reviews are good. Embrace and extend, right?

    • Re:Microsoft Kudos (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Pxtl ( 151020 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @04:01PM (#13633153) Homepage
      I doubt it would matter. First rule of gaming - it will be fringe until it works with the default hardware. PC gaming had a horrible problem throughout the '90s with expecting users to own joysticks - many top-quality titles fell by the wayside because of that. The successful titles were the ones that aimed at mouse and keyboard.

      Look how badly the extended hardware has always done - did you see a lot of superscope games? The only ones that get away with it are megahits like DDR, and those generally come with the relevant controller.

      There will be no such animal - except maybe a fringe one.

      • Re:Microsoft Kudos (Score:5, Interesting)

        by Castar ( 67188 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @04:24PM (#13633402)
        Yeah, I don't think MS could get away with making a Revolution look-alike. You really have to plan your whole strategy around the controller - not just the hardware and software, but the target audience and marketing, as well.

        However, there's no guarantee that if it does really well, the other companies wouldn't sneak in the aspects that work, like the gyroscopic controls.

        Or Sony could see the appeal of nonstandard control schemes and focus more heavily on the EyeToy - a fantastic peripheral with only one really great game for it (AntiGrav).
        • However, there's no guarantee that if it does really well, the other companies wouldn't sneak in the aspects that work, like the gyroscopic controls.

          That's what I'm afraid of. Sony and MS will copy "aspects" of it, but they'll fuck it up -- neither company, especially Sony, seems to care very much about the details of their controllers, they just slap together something that more or less works and don't seem to notice if the result is an ergonomic nightmare.

          Then, because Sony is the market leader, their fu

          • see: PS1 dpad of pain

            The separated prongs of the PlayStation D-pad are part of a workaround for Nintendo's patents. Sure, rolling from direction to direction on the PlayStation D-pad is worse than say the N64 D-pad if you use the tip of your thumb, but I tend to use the flat part of my thumb. I like the PlayStation D-pad a lot better than the GameCube D-pad, which is why I usually play WarioWare, Game Boy Player, and other GameCube digital games with a Dual Shock 2 controller connected through an adapte

            • Sure, rolling from direction to direction on the PlayStation D-pad is worse than say the N64 D-pad if you use the tip of your thumb, but I tend to use the flat part of my thumb.

              I get blisters using the flat as well. Apparently third party controllers are beginning to put proper dpads on PS2 controllers, now if they just fixed that left analog stick position on a third party controller...
            • What is patented about the Nintendo d-pad that Sony had to change? The nintendo d-pad hasn't changed since the Famicom, originally released in Japan in what, '83? Can you provide a link or at least tell what is patented? Why aren't the upcoming consoles (PS3 and 360) aren't using the Nintendo design if it is superior (by 2003 there should be no chance of patents from '83 surviving).
              • I looked a little more and indeed it was patented (it isn't in effect anymore). I can't believe the PS controller got around it because it is still a cross shaped thing exactly like the nintendo one (they aren't separate buttons, you can't press left and right at the same time), but I guess the patent was really really basic.

              • The nintendo d-pad hasn't changed since the Famicom, originally released in Japan in what, '83? Can you provide a link or at least tell what is patented?

                US Patent 4,687,200 [uspto.gov] covers the D-pad, and it just expired last month, which was after Sony and Microsoft finalized the appearance of the PSP, PS3, and Xbox 360 game controllers.

    • I'm sure microsoft would rather that 2 horse race to be between the XBox and the Nintendo Revolution, Sony is a bigger company (than Nintendo) and thus is a bigger threat. I wonder if we'll start seeing some collaboration between MS and Nintendo in the future.

      • If Microsoft and Sony crushed Nintendo in the console market(for the sake of argument), Nintendo would probably not just end it all and go quietly into that good night. Especially not with their library of known and beloved characters and titles. Instead, it would make sense for them to become a third-party developer for one of the two bigger systems, a la Sega.

        With Sony supplying Nintendo's only worthy hand-held competition, helping them out would perhaps not be the best idea. Microsoft is already lo
        • Iwata said they're going down with the ship if it sinks. I'm not sure he'll actually do that should it come that far but since it'd take quite something to sink Nintendo (first they'd have to start making regular losses, then they'd need to burn up their cash reserves and THEN they might still be able to loan money) I doubt we'll find that out anytime soon. But until they start bleeding money like mad you won't see them go third party and Nintendo bleeding dry is very unlikely.
    • I doubt either MS, Sony or a third party can legally make a revolution knock-off. After everyone rushed to get an analog in when they announced it pre-64 release, Nintendos been both secretive and protective as hell of their stuff.

      I think they own a controlling interest in Gyration, which has a lot of patents on this kind of tech, as well as having patented large swaths of it in regards to console gaming.

      So, like the d-pad, they may be able to find ways around the IP, but it's not going to be as easy as ju
      • I doubt either MS, Sony or a third party can legally make a revolution knock-off.

        Maybe, although MS has superb lawyer-power to beat most IP claims. But in extremis, if they were blocked from copying it AND the Nintendo Revolution starts to take over the market, prehaps they could just build an adapter to allow Nintendo's own controllers to hook into a USB port?

        (I'm hoping somebody builds a product along those lines, so I can use my PC cursor with remote wand-action)
        • You mean like gyration's [gyration.com] products?

          The company Nintendo invested heavily in [gyration.com] and partnered up with around 4 years ago?

          I don't think MS will pull the type of crap they're known for in the gaming market. Nor do I think they can. Nintendo actually has the cash reserves, IP portfolio and investments/partnerships to fight a rather protracted legal battle. They're not small-fry like most of MS's victims have been.

  • Nintendo's Response (Score:5, Funny)

    by popo ( 107611 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @04:01PM (#13633157) Homepage

    Rumour has it that Nintendo promptly extended kudos back to Microsoft for their attempt at a console.

  • Frankie praises it too (Score:5, Informative)

    by Geoffreyerffoeg ( 729040 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @04:05PM (#13633210)
    Frankie of Bungie.net fame praised the controller in his Weekly Update [bungie.net] last week, which covered his visit to the Tokyo Game Show.

    "Oh. And I know what the Revolution controller is. You will too soon enough. I am not going to enrage our friends at Nintendo by revealing that here. But it is gonna be a big talking point." Again, this is from Frankie, of Bungie, owned by Microsoft, who admits earlier in the story that he'll be pushing the MS stuff.



    Offtopic: For all the defense of Microsoft that Slashdot does whenever someone attacks them without reason (e.g., here [slashdot.org]), we sure do a lot of attacking them without reason [slashdot.org]....

    • Frankie of Bungie.net fame praised the controller in his Weekly Update last week, which covered his visit to the Tokyo Game Show.

      "Oh. And I know what the Revolution controller is. You will too soon enough. I am not going to enrage our friends at Nintendo by revealing that here. But it is gonna be a big talking point."

      Where does he praise it? I see him mention it, but nowhere in that quote nor in his full post do I see him give any opinion of it, favorable or not.

  • http://research.microsoft.com/~awilson/wand/defaul t.htm [microsoft.com]

    The potential's there, Nintendo's just a step ahead. Or fifty...
  • Im sure Nintendo wont give Microsoft Kudos for buying Rare
    • "Im sure Nintendo wont give Microsoft Kudos for buying Rare"

      Nintendo passed up the opportunity to buy Rare. I doubt they're upset about Microsoft having it.

    • Re:Subject (Score:1, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Whether or not the XBox (and Nintendo) fans will admit to it or not, Nintendo selling their share in Rare was the right thing to do. People often forget that Rare is a very large developer, with several teams each of which is made up of dozens (in the N64 days, it could be in the hundreds now) of dedicated employees. At the same time they have gotten to the point where it takes them twice as long to release a game as most other companies (at the same approximate quality). What this all means is that you hav

  • Lapsed gamers? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Red Flayer ( 890720 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @04:46PM (#13633611) Journal
    "Moore commented the new device would 'bring people in that, as Iwata-san said, are either lapsed gamers or gamers that are intimidated by the complexity of the controller."

    Wow, they make it seem like not gaming is an addiction or something... is a lapsed gamer like the opposite of a lapsed alcoholic?

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