Original PS4 Controller Analog Stick Layout Similar to Xbox 360 "They knew that consumers liked


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Sony has spoken out about early designs for the DualShock 4, revealing it considered adopting the Xbox 360 controller's stick placement.

In an interview with GamesBeat, Sony head of product planning Toshimasa Aoki spoke out about what the company was attempting to achieve with such a move and why, ultimately, it was abandoned.

"For the analog sticks, we did test having the analog sticks on top, since the Xbox has the left side on top [above the D-pad]," he said. "Especially from the shooter teams ? we got feedback that that?s what they wanted. They knew that consumers liked the 360 for shooters."

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The management team really felt that having this look is the PlayStation look, and we had to keep that.

What followed was a period of experimentation that saw the two sticks moved around the controller in pretty much every combination imaginable. There was even a version similar to the Wii U's Pro Controller with both sticks on top, though the company quickly abandoned this as it was decided PlayStation and Xbox gamers were too used to having buttons up there; fiddling with the right side too much could be disastrous.

Considering the vast range of improvement that studios were suggesting, in the end Sony had to instigate a simple rule of majority. Some developers were knee-deep in game development for the PS4 so had a clear idea of what would work for their games, though this could cause problems for others. So unless around 80 percent of the feedback agreed upon a change, it wasn't done.

Ultimately, traditional placement won out. Aoki explained, "The feedback from the user test team said that we needed to test this version, the Xbox version, and this version. [but having the two sticks symmetrical on the left and right sides] is kind of in our DNA. The prototype team, myself, and also the management team really felt that having this look is the PlayStation look, and we had to keep that."

The PlayStation 4 will be available in North America on November 15 and in Europe on November 29. In case you miss it yesterday, the company released a nostalgic UK-focused short film, looking at how the brand has impacted our lives since 1995.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/22/original-ps4-controller-analog-stick-layout-similar-to-xbox-360

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During development of the PlayStation 4 hardware, Sony experimented with a DualShock 4 controller design that was similar to Xbox 360, manager of the product planning department Toshimasa Aoki told GamesBeat.

"For the analog sticks, we did test having the analog sticks on top, since the Xbox has the left side on top [above the D-pad]," Aoki told GamesBeat "Especially from the shooter teams ? we got feedback that that's what they wanted. They knew that consumers liked the 360 for shooters."

"The feedback from the user test team said that we needed to test this version, the Xbox version, and this version," said Aoki. "[but having the two sticks symmetrical on the left and right sides] is kind of in our DNA. The prototype team, myself, and also the management team really felt that having this look is the PlayStation look, and we had to keep that."

 

Source - Here

 

 

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So, they didn't modify the design because management realized it would look bad and hurt the brand image. They put brand over actual ergonomics. Why would Sony even go on record with something like this?

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While i prefer the xbox sticks placement I don't mind the sticks placement of the dual shocks that much to be honest.

 

What i did hate about the old Dual Shocks is the sticks were too close to each other and were too slippery. From what i understand they are now father from each other and have a cancave shape on top. This will imo make the controller prefectly usable. The controller was part of my decision to buy a 360 over a PS3. This gen the controller wont be a factor from the information i can gather right now.

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i prefer the stick layout as is on PS myself. for those that prefer the xbox layout there are plenty of 3rd party controllers with that layout for the PS3 (shouldn't be too long before that's true with the PS4 as well)

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I like the PS controller so much in its exact layout. Changing the sticks to the upper part, ala X1 would completely ruin a controller that excels in every game category and that does a regular to nice job on FPS, it is no wonder that most of the FPS players prefer the tumbsticks above the POV, however real FPS players use keyboard and mouse. I will buy a PS4 controller when this gets PS Vita compatibility or Full PC compatibility, because at the moment I have a DualShock 3 for PC games that require it.

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That's unfortunate, as the PS controllers have been awful in my personal experience, ever since the first Dual Shock. Even on my PS3,  I always choose xbox for multiplatform games as I don't want to have the cramps I get from those piddly little sticks in the wrong place

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Glad to hear they kept it how it was.  I never liked split controllers (N64, Xbox, etc)  I much prefer the symetrical Playstation style.  Right back to the first Dual Shock controllers.

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I've always hated the Playstation analog stick placement. The analog sticks were literally tacked on as an afterthought to the DualShock a while after the original PSX was released and have felt out of place ever since then. It always feels like I'm about to dislocate my thumbs whenever I'm using them.

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Even the replies are divided so i think it's sensible to stick with what they have. I'm one of the few that aren't fussed either way and can play with any controller and it doesn't really affect me.

 

I'm surprised that they didn't make a separate 360 style controller for those that prefer that style. They would certainly be able to make an extra bit of money. And we know from history that game companies don't exactly mind pushing out extra accessories.

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Considering I despise the 360's layout and have always liked the DualShock layout better, I'm glad they didn't change it.

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Forget the sticks! The hardest thing for me is seeing the blue X and having to think "press A". :P

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Considering the clear divide amongst gamers, I think it was good that they didn't change it. There are enough that prefer the PS style to warrant it.

The nice thing about these consoles is that at some point, there will be 3rd party controllers that adopt the Xbox style for the ps4 and those that adopt the PS style for the X1, so everyone wins.

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The thumbstick location is far inferior on the Playstation controller.  The location of your left thumb is not natural and having to bend it all the time to use the left thumbstick gets really painful.  

 

When you grab a controller, your thumbs naturally point up, so the only smart way to design it is to have the most commonly used controls on the top.  Fail goes to Sony for choosing their "style" over comfort.

 

The controller is reason #1 why I'm not buying the PS4. To each their own though.

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So unbelievably stupid to stick with the inferior layout. Even nintendo realized, 12 years ago(and still does today), where the left analog stick belongs. So why can't sony?

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So unbelievably stupid to stick with the inferior layout. Even nintendo realized, 12 years ago(and still does today), where the left analog stick belongs. So why can't sony?

 

 

The GameCube Controller is one of the ugliest looking, but best feeling controllers ever..

 

The Wave Bird still sits in a class all by itself... Loved that controller.

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The thumbstick location is far inferior on the Playstation controller.  The location of your left thumb is not natural and having to bend it all the time to use the left thumbstick gets really painful.  

 

When you grab a controller, your thumbs naturally point up, so the only smart way to design it is to have the most commonly used controls on the top.  Fail goes to Sony for choosing their "style" over comfort.

 

The controller is reason #1 why I'm not buying the PS4. To each their own though.

See for me, my thumbs go to the sides when I imagine holding a controller.  I don't like split designs.. I think the controller for me is one of the major reasons I am buying a ps4.

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It's not that hard to imagine that someone that may have been playing Playstation since the original one may have gotten used to the layout.  I know it'll come as a shock to people in this forum but I actually prefer the 360 controller (*gasp*).  When I was playing Last of Us my left hand would actually cramp up a the ball of the thumb (or thenar eminence :p) but after a couple of days I'd get used to it (the controller, not the cramping).  If someone has been using that layout for years switching would seem odd.

 

Quite frankly Sony would probably incite more criticism if they changed the layout, no matter what the reasoning, than if they left it the same.

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Even the replies are divided so i think it's sensible to stick with what they have.

 

Yeah but i don't think you can use that to judge what design is the best. The fact is fanboys will prefer the controller of their favorite console no matter what. So fans of the PS4 will say the Dual Shock is the best and fans of the XBox will say XBox controller is the best. Only neutral people will tell the truth and it's really hard to know who really is neutral for real.

 

It remembers me back when i had an Xbox and a GC and my best friend had an Xbox only. I prefered the XBox and was mainly playing the XBox (because of XBox Live and a better controller). I really did not like the Cube controller but strangely i still prefered to play non-action games (rpg, adventure, ...) on the GameCube because of the WaveBird. Everytime i told my friend the WaveBird was awesome for rpgs and such he said he dispised the WaveBird cause wireless was bad and laggy bla bla bla. He even went as far as to say he would never ever use a wireless controller. Then when MS announced the 360 with a wireless controller all of a sudden wireless was so awesome and the best thing since sliced bread. There's lot of people like him sadly.

 

Personally i prefer the layout of the XBox controller and do think it is a superior layout for action games. But i like the changes Sony did with the Dual Shock 4 and i think it will be a more usable controller now and i don't think the difference will be big enough in my case to be a factor when i'll choose between the PS4 and XBox One.

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