Microsoft has recently updated the Xbox 360 community with information on the release of their brand new controller. The innovative design captivated me immediately. Being an Xbox 360 owner and Xbox Live subscriber, the news of a new controller has me quite anxious. The controller appears to have the same look as past 360 controllers, but there are a couple notable differences.
First and foremost, the controller has finally answered the complaints on the poorly designed original D-Pad. The new and improved D-Pad has the same circle appearance as the old, but there is a hidden feature. You can now twist the D-Pad to the side, which allows the D-Pad’s plus (+) shape to rise and pop out. This allows the player to easily click the directional buttons. Microsoft previously made the D-Pad’s appearance great by making it into a circular disk shape, but this shape had a lack of functionality. However, with this controller, Microsoft provides us with the stylish circle look and functional plus (+) design. Aside from the major D-Pad improvement; there have only been a few minor changes to the controller itself. For example the concave design around the analog sticks has been slightly modified for increased comfort. Also, the A, B, X, and Y buttons are not their usual colors. Instead, they are each slightly different shades of grey to match the boring gray color scheme of the entire controller. Personally, I think that the colors of the buttons helped add a “pop” to the controller, and I am hoping that Microsoft will offer different color scheme options.
The news on this controller has just recently been released, and has informed us that the release date is set to be November 9, 2010. This is the same date that the highly anticipated Call of Duty Black Ops game is going to be released. I predict that the sales of this controller will go through the roof, but not only because of the new design. The release of Black Ops will have many avid gamers out at the stores, and this could help inspire consumers to buy the controller along with the game. It will only be sold with the Play & Charge kit and will only run you $64.99. From the looks of it, Microsoft has done an excellent job and will not disappoint its fans. Please be sure to check back in early November for a full review!
What are your thoughts on the new design? Tell us in the comments!
Source – New Xbox 360 Controller
Source – Call of Duty Black Ops
It’s a pretty well-known in the video game world that Microsoft releases a relatively big Xbox Live update each fall. (For those uninitiated, Xbox Live is the online network that let’s Xbox 360 users play games together from anywhere in the world, purchase, rent and watch movies and music, and more.) This year has been no different, as Microsoft released their Fall Update last week, introducing some new tweaks to the user interface, as well as some nice new features that most users will probably appreciate. From ESPN3 to Netflix’s new abilities, Kinect connectivity to Windows Phone 7 integration, we’ve got it all here for you, so read on to see what we think! Read the rest of this entry »