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Gates Hints At New Xbox Control System

Posted by Spartan_X on 04 June 2007 - 17:30 · 17 comments & 9335 views

Microsoft’s Bill Gates has given the strongest hint yet that the company plans to introduce a new control system for the Xbox 360 influenced by the success of the Wii, although his somewhat vague comments suggest a very different approach to Nintendo.

As detailed by technology website All Things Digital, Gates was taking part in a live conversation with Apple founder Steve Jobs, when Gates began to discuss the use of 3D online interfaces and the increasing role of the PC as a home media and communications center. He ended his comments by saying, “And as we get natural input, that will cause a change... Software is doing vision and so, you know, imagine a game machine where you’re just going to pick up the bat and swing it or the tennis racket and swing it.”

As the similarities behind his concept and that of the Wii were pointed out, Gates responded: “No, that’s not it. You can’t pick up your tennis racket. And swing it.”

“You can’t sit there with your friends and do those natural things. That’s a 3D positional device. This is video recognition,” he added.

Although the use of the phrase “game machine” implies Xbox 360 technology, no further details were provided by Gates, although others, including Xbox’s Peter Moore, have previously hinted at Microsoft’s interest in producing a motion sensing controller for the Xbox 360. Gates himself has been the most dismissive of Microsoft executives on the subject of the Wii, repeatedly stating his skepticism of the format and its controller and regarding it as a novelty. In May 2006, he even went as far as to state that motion sensing controllers are “something that's not mainstream for most games.”

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News source: Gamasutra

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#1 Posted by joeydoo on 04 Jun 2007 - 18:04: I doubt that it's something for the 360. Video recognition like he was suggesting will probably be the xbox "720" territory. We are probably far enough into the 360's life span for him be talking about the next generation of consoles. Microsoft are pretty slow when it comes to innovation. Their size means they take the safe path most of the time.

(2 replies) #2 Posted by spacer on 04 Jun 2007 - 19:13: Coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooome on holodeck.

(1 reply) #3 Posted by clx on 04 Jun 2007 - 20:03: mm.. seems like people are clutching at straws in order to make up some news ...

#4 Posted by ghos on 05 Jun 2007 - 00:19: Typical Bill Gates, when it comes to the competition its not a good idea (Wiimote) unless we have something similar enough that we can talk about. He claims it isn't the same and I'm sure it isn't. But still he knocked down the Wii and then starts talking about something along the same lines just more advanced? I'm sure Nintendo isn't sitting around and saying "OH we made the ultimate gaming system". It works well now, but they are certainly not sitting on their laurels.

(1 reply) #5 Posted by Croquant on 05 Jun 2007 - 03:10: Of course, you'll have to buy a Microsoft-branded tennis racket for it to work with this.

#6 Posted by Mikee4fun on 05 Jun 2007 - 05:00: If you actually read the article, Billy is talking about "video recognition" Kind of like somewhat "minority report style"

So you pick up your own tennis racket or base ball bat and swing it. A camera/input device connected to a console/computer " video recognition" measures the speed/angle etc... So its more realistic. I sure won't be swinging a baseball bat in my living room though anytime soon. But just imagine the new developer possibilities with gaming. They could come out with the "Ron Jeremy Challenge" LMAO

#7 Posted by The Cub on 05 Jun 2007 - 14:05: Ron Jeremy is well past it. Rocco FTW

#8 Posted by PureLegend on 05 Jun 2007 - 17:27: Sure, EyeToy was fun. And 360 is only 1.5 years old. I think it's too early to be talking "next-gen"

It sounds like he's more on about games for the Surface.

#9 Posted by Green_Eye on 05 Jun 2007 - 19:42: Video Recognition activating *Blue Screen* awww man frantically beats tv with baseball bat..

/joke

Go Microsoft you have stood in the shadow for too long time for you to come out and innovate

#10 Posted by jstillion on 05 Jun 2007 - 21:56: This may help them in the *next* console war race, but since the Wii sensor is "standard" vs a possible Xbox360 add-on, developers are forced to compete on implementing the wiimote in fun usefull ways on the Wii... but developer can opt to not or do an "optional" motion sensor xbox 360 controller.

Same situation with putting HD-DVD drive in the Xbox360.. they could but the backlash of the existing user base (and having to prevent developers using the HD-DVD for games) gives MS a very bad black eye.

The one thing I think MS doesn't get is look at the "type" of games the Wii is pumping out vs Xbox 360. Cooking Mama, Wii Sports, Zelda, etc vs Halo 2/3, Gears of War, EA "TYPE" Sport 200x ... they appeal to two different audiences with some cross over.

#11 Posted by +TheGriffin on 06 Jun 2007 - 22:58: No one realized that this news story is submitted by Spartan_X? That alone means a lot, some of you are not so smart eh?

#12 Posted by Xerxes on 09 Jun 2007 - 04:03: Sounds like they are playing around with ideas for Xbox Next. Which is no real surprise, they have probally been working on it for aleast a few years now. Well that is what I think anyway.

#13 Posted by EduardValencia on 09 Jun 2007 - 16:17: It's isn't because Wii success u guys must be crazy,the leader and the only one with #1 success with the larger user base is microsoft!

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