220°

Xbox 360 Wiimote is a Bad Idea

Steve Wysowski from XboxFocus.com writes:

"Across the Internet, widespread speculation has risen that the Xbox 360 will indeed be receiving a Wiimote like hardware peripheral that would effectively change the way thing play out for Microsoft generation. So many variables that have been establish thus far can change with an announcement: Xbox 360 sales will definitely see an immediate spike in sales (no doubt the product would be hyped up the wazoo), an emphasis on gameplay innovation and user immersion will clearly have been established for this generation (as there is still a debate regarding whether or not the Wii is nothing but a gimmick), and it will put the 360 in direct competition with Nintendo for the casual market.

While it all sounds great on paper, how good would a motion sensing control scheme for the Xbox 360 really be? Microsoft has never been able to truly capture the casual gamer, and I don't believe that would suddenly change with the announcement of Wiimote copy (which most of the "blueprints" have been showing). Microsoft's biggest attempt to "bring the entire family together" on Xbox 360 has been that Scene It? Trivia Game piece of garbage, that was laugh worthy and quickly became a running gag amongst Sony and Nintendo fanboy circles. And that was it. If Microsoft were to go from a moderate position towards casual gameplay to a far greater emphasis, it's hard not see a bumpy road lie ahead for MS."
FlyWestbrook - contributor
Published: 590 days 21 hours ago | News | Xbox 360 | Wii
 
 

Showing: 1 - 31 of 31 Comments
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n00bFRAGGER - 590 days 21 hours ago
1 -
I have never been to certain about Wiimotes to begin with. I always thought the Wii was and still is a bit gimmicky.
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mikeslemonade - 590 days 17 hours ago
1.1 -
If they can get the vision camera to read the dongle then that would be pretty neat but the whole sensor bar thing feels unreliable. I hope sony does something like that with the PS eye. With the sensor bar on Wii you have a pretty limited range and no matter what setting i put it on i have to stand up and even then the wiimote isn't that accurate.
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hokiebonoz - 590 days 21 hours ago
2 - agreed
people buy wii's for many reasons. the biggest are the controller and casual play. Those who buy the 360 do not drop 350 to play 10 minutes at a time. welcome to the reason the el camino died...you either want a car or a truck, not both.
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pwnmaster3000 - 590 days 21 hours ago
3 - .
is not a bad idea.. is a horrible idea, imean wtf r they thinking are they trying to be like the wii
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Condoleezza Rice - 590 days 21 hours ago
4 - I agree with the author
"Microsoft has never been able to truly capture the casual gamer, and I don't believe that would suddenly change with the announcement of Wiimote copy (which most of the "blueprints" have been showing). Microsoft's biggest attempt to "bring the entire family together" on Xbox 360 has been that Scene It? Trivia Game piece of garbage, that was laugh worthy and quickly became a running gag amongst Sony and Nintendo fanboy circles. And that was it. If Microsoft were to go from a moderate position towards casual gameplay to a far greater emphasis, it's hard not see a bumpy road lie ahead for MS"

I said something almost EXACTLY similar to this ^ ,if you think a new non-standard with an interface targeted for Casuals,introduced almost 3 years into the life of a Hardcore gamers system,if you think this controller will automatically reel in the Casual market,then you're not looking at this situation in it's entirety.
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Superfragilistic - 590 days 21 hours ago
5 - The author sums the article up nicely...
"But, hey; what do I know. I'm the same guy who thought the Wii would be the end of Nintendo back in 2005. Look how that turned out."

Why I understand the author's sentiments, nobody knows what MS are cooking (Including Shane Kim apparently! lol), we don't even know if it's a Wii mote copycat or something more advanced or different.
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PoSTedUP - 590 days 21 hours ago
6 -
wii mote sucks, thats why they let you use the gamecube controller. good luck microsoft with you new and brightest invention!
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Robearboy - 590 days 20 hours ago
7 -
I dont think its not really a bad idea, its like Sony having the eye toy and all of these other interactive gadgets you can get, so long as devs dont start to cater for it more than the normal control pad then i dont really see a problem
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KeiZka - 590 days 20 hours ago
7.1 -
Problem here is, that it is an additional gadget. Not something you can incorporate to existing software and such. And that creates problems. Does it work with earlier games? Nope. Will the upcoming games support both controller schemes, as in the pad and boxmote? Doubtful at best. It is as you say, an eyetoy of a sort. And unless MS doesn't start an aggressive campaign with this one, it's not going to work out.

Also, I can't imagine MS having two entirely different lines of thinking: these for "so called HC", and these for "so called casuals". But hey, my opinions only.
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mistertwoturbo - 590 days 17 hours ago
7.2 -
"Does it work with earlier games?"

Actually, wouldn't it be pretty amazing if it did? Let's say, play Halo 3 straight up like Metroid Prime.
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KeiZka - 590 days 16 hours ago
7.3 -
Doubt it. Unless Bungie is to make a patch for it, and that... Well, the arcade system in itself kind of forbids the whole thing, seeing it doesn't have a hdd to begin with.
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power of Green - 590 days 20 hours ago
8 -
Its a great idea they'll just be adding another market to their platfrom that seems to be doing better than tradtional gaming atleast in many was. Trash talking the idea is nonsense I'm sold on this motion sensing market is here to stay. Could you imagine multi platfrom games between the Wii and 360?.

I must say only Nintendo's 1st party games would save the Wii if MSFT did this though.

IMO I think only MSFT's competition and hardcore 360 fans have an issue with this tech on the 360. Its like being anti *accessory* lol.

This tech will do nothing more than please many current owners(families, kids, wemen and party gamers) and add the Wii demographic to the 360's. I hate XBL vision camera games but I don't hate on them lol.

Every time I'v read something on this gamers act as if MSFT is going to transform the 360's core gaming standard lol(no more controller based games for the core audience
WTF?.
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ozsman - 590 days 20 hours ago
8.1 -
I agree bro.. If they do this right this could be awesome. Could you imagine all the extra games on the 360. This would be perfect for my kids(the fun of the wii games and 360 graphics). Sounds like a win win to me.
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titntin - 590 days 19 hours ago
8.2 -
I do agree with your sentiments, and I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing, but I do understand why it frustrates some fans.

Microsoft have a limited first party studio set up to bring exclusive new IP's to the platform. By targeting a large proportion of these resources at this new market, they are effectively lessening development of new first party property catering to the 'core market', and an objective view of announced titles and IP's would seem to confirm this.

I can't comment on their entire strategy as I'm simply not privy to it. Maybe they do have motion games in the works that cater more for core tastes. But I have worked on assets for two titles now that use this motion controller, and both a 'casual party style' games that won't be attractive to core users.

I remain skeptical that this will be a big success, but its not stupid to try. The market for casuals is extremely large, and MS have show with Rare's IP's and their Arcade packs that they want this market bad!
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power of Green - 590 days 18 hours ago
8.3 -
Only haters and 360 fans over reacting due to not thinking it through will have beef with the concept. Any excuse or gripe doesn't even make any sense its as simple as buying the motion controller and the games for it or not!; its really that simple. No MSFT devs are foolish to mix Motion with Standard titles I'm sure MSFT will have a seperate lineup for it much like XBL arcade *so to speak*.

I usually ignor anti progress complaints etc.

I do understand PS3 fans will not be able to control themselfs as seen in this thread this concept posses a major threat to Sony hence the senseless criticism.
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KeiZka - 590 days 16 hours ago
8.4 -
Yet it being an addon to an existing system remains a problem in itself. Yes, I can imagine there could be multiplats for X0 and Wii, but I still must ask you people: does a regular joe or average sally go out and buy a drastically differing controller for X0?

Also, can MS truly cater to both crowds? Nintendo is trying all the time, yet it gets jeered for doing so, called "casual" and "betrayer of HC gaming". Could Microsoft honestly get a good "casual" image to itself? Not that easily. It'd require a massively aggressive campaigning, and that'd probably cost more than a bit, that one.

But good luck trying. I remain skeptical of the whole thing, but kudos to them if they actually get it to work.
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Tmac - 590 days 6 hours ago
8.5 -
You agree with everything Microsoft does. You should become a Microsoft PR, I mean you already spread enough bull anyway.

Xiimote is just a cheap gimmick.
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edonus - 590 days 20 hours ago
9 - You ever see those rooms full of monkeys with type writers.....
This is one of their posts.

Since when has adding more ever hurt something? Why do everygame everreleased have to be compatable with the controller. Why cant MS make Wii style games? Thats like saying BMW cant make a Kia. Why cant MS make special games for that controller? Why cant they bundle that controller with its own Hi Def casual games(Hi Def golf anyone)?. At the least it will slowdown Nintendo. Who said it had to be only for the casual gamer, the Wii just sux at hardcore (some games can be hardcore by design but the power isnt there to do something spectacular).
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KeiZka - 590 days 16 hours ago
9.1 -
Adding in itself doesn't hurt. It's just that it's away from something other that is under R&D. I mean... MS could use the dough put into this to do something else as well? Plus they'd probably have to start bundling them with systems to get them "well-known" to begin with...
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Kareshi_X - 590 days 20 hours ago
10 - hmmm
I never liked the idea of a Wii-mote kind of controller
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gogators - 590 days 20 hours ago
11 - A controller will not attract people to your console,
a good number of casual games that carry the "word of mouth" might. There are many factors driving current Wii sales. Word of mouth really drives Wii sales. Plus many people have their first exposure to the Wii via Wii Sports, which fun in a group, simple to play, and not intimidating to most people. MS has every right to try and capture that, I just don't think they can.
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power of Green - 590 days 20 hours ago
11.1 - The
GameCube had "a good number of casual games that carry the "word of mouth"

Motion sensing sold the Wii it was the *revolution* that sparked the Wii crazz you know this and so does everybody else. Maybe as a Nintendo fan as you seem(wink wink); should take it easy in these motion MSFT threads so you don't get so upset due to MSFT trying to get into this market assuming you're a T-ed off Nintendo fan(wink wink).
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gogators - 590 days 20 hours ago
11.2 - There are many things that drive Wii sales,
and the controller is a very big part of it. You still have to have the games to go with it. That requires time and money. I would rather MS spend their time and money else where, like their 1st party game line-up. How about sending Smith and Tinker some money so we can all see another Crimson Skies or MechAssault 3.

Yes, another Crimson Skies would be very nice indeed.
12 THWIP | 590 days 20 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show
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badz149 - 590 days 20 hours ago
13 - like the PS2
casual games like singstar, eyetoy and buzz! came a couple of years after launch and every single one of them had their piece of success! at least I know that singstar is HUGE in EU and AU!

then came this motion control idea from MS in the 3rd year of 360! if it's indeed a reality, I wonder, are they trying to do what is currently being done by the Wii or following the steps of the PS2?

but I'm far from saying it's a bad idea! we'll just have to wait and see for the outcome! just imagine playing with Wii games with 360's graphic...hmmm...good? I don't know!!
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Vizion26 - 590 days 20 hours ago
14 - Microsoft has no imagination
If the rumor is true it would be another blatant ripoff of Nintendo's ideas. And you wonder Nintendo likes to wait until the last minute to unveil their stuff.

Microsoft be creative. Don't be a follower be a leader.
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nanometric - 590 days 18 hours ago
15 -
Now thats a gimmick :/
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SL1M DADDY - 590 days 17 hours ago
16 - As silly of an idea as it is,
I would be one to buy the Wii-mote wannabe if it came bundled with a collection of games much like Wii-Sports. I love High Velocity Bowling due in part to it's more realistic approach to an adult gamer. The characters and themes. I love the mechanics of Wii Bowling but it's far too kiddie for me to keep it up. If MS could make something like them both and use the Wii-Mote style controller, I would buy.
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kwicksandz - 590 days 17 hours ago
17 - RE4 Wii has validated wii controls to me
Wii-like controls can be used in "proper games" even those which werent originally designed for it. If MS can fill the void of well designed motion control games as opposed to waggle knock offs il buy two!

Lets just hope it doesnt devolve into another lair or red steel.
18 sumfood4u | 590 days 16 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show
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BigAl109 - 590 days 6 hours ago
19 - Typical Microsoft
Microsoft just wanted to make money off the idea and claim it as their own. They should stick to what they do best: ONLINE PLAY.
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