Following rumors earlier in the week, Microsoft's Larry Hryb (a.k.a. 'Major Nelson') has now confirmed that a new Xbox 360 controller with a specially redesigned D-pad will be offered in November. He said that Microsoft listened to the feedback it received from numerous Xbox 360 owners about the D-pad feeling somewhat subpar, and this new design is a direct reaction to those complaints.
Microsoft's engineers have patented an "ingenious solution" for the D-pad, which allows it to transform from a plus to a disc with the twist of the wrist. The new controller features a matte silver color scheme and also features concave analog sticks and gray A,B,X,Y buttons for "added style."
For now, Major Nelson has indicated that Microsoft will only sell the controller with the new Play & Charge Kit that will launch on November 9 in the U.S. for $64.99. That said, if it proves to be a popular enough design among gamers, we have a feeling that Microsoft will eventually offer the controller separately or even make it the new default controller for Xbox 360.
3 Comments
August 31, 2010
So do you rotate the Dpad to the right and the diagonal "pieces" retreat into the controller? If so, that's... pretty damn cool. It's about time but a welcome change.
August 31, 2010
It worries me that the twisting mechanism might get a bit "soft", especially if it's often used, leading to it accidentally rotating when you're trying to do, say, a fireball motion or something.
September 1, 2010
It's a very neat idea, but it takes a piece of the controller that is relatively simple and cheap and makes it more mechanically complicated, and that means it cost more to make. I'm not going to guess how much more, but when you multiply it by however many millions of controllers Microsoft makes plus the fact that they'd have to change out all their factories for the new method, the outcry for the new controller would have to be pretty significant for them to make this the default Xbox 360 controller.