Xbox 720 has 'Wii U touchscreen controller' - Report

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Microsoft's next Xbox is set to include a Wii U-like touchscreen controller, a report in Xbox World magazine has claimed.

Writing in its latest issue, XBW's sources report the next Xbox "will be a matt-black media hub with a mission to bring games to life in your living room with augmented reality, directional sound, and a four-player, finger-tracking Kinect."

The mag claims Microsoft is experimenting with a tablet-like controller with a shape closer to Sony's PS Vita than Wii U's "bulky unit".

It goes on to describe the Xbox 720 pad as "an HD screen surrounded by the traditional 360 buttons and sticks."

"That touchcreen will be second only to Kinect in how you operate your console," it claims. "It could be a remote control when you're watching TV, a browser when you're on the internet, extra buttons and information when you're playing a game or a portable display when you want to take your game with you."

If you're starting to think this sounds awfully expensive, says XBW, you're right - the mag speculates Xbox 720 could come in at as much as ?399.

"Microsoft are playing it safe with the CPU and GPU but running wild with the functions that will change how you play, but it won't be cheap."

It's not the first rumour that's pointed to Microsoft's possible plans for a Wii U-like controller: Last month Gamespot suggested there are "strong signs" that a tablet component will figure heavily in the next Xbox.

Read every next Xbox rumour in one place in our Xbox 720 round-up.

Source: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/335369/xbox-720-has-wii-u-touchscreen-controller-report/

[The Teej]

To be fair, since I've seen the WiiU Tabcon I thought to myself, "I can definitely see this happening eventually on most controllers, one way or another".

Even if we don't see gigantic controllers like the WiiU's Tabcon - we're already seeing portable devices with really nice 5" screens with all of the buttons of a regular controller:

Now obviously, this is designed to be portable - but imagine if they could add a couple of handles and slightly bigger analogue sticks? I wouldn't see it looking like the above picture as such, probably something different. Perhaps even similar to this, although obviously not as "botch job"

Aww hell, it could even have the touch screen on the top of the controller if they wanted it to.

My only concern is that I don't want Microsoft to subsidize the cost of the controller with the rest of the hardware or software - that's not a road they should go down. Or if they do, I don't think they should have a big deficit (maybe break even?). At the same time, we don't want to see controllers that end up costing ?90 - I'm aware you could still use traditional 360 controllers (similar to how you can use Wii Remotes on the Wii U) on the next-gen console. but we all know the best experience is going to be with these new Tabcons. Unlike the Kinect where, while it's ?100+, you only have to buy the one. If you want the best 720 controller, you don't want to have to spend ?90 on a Tabcon per person. That will get extremely expensive.

If they can get it down to ?60 (which is double what the current wireless controllers cost) then I'd say that's a fair price. While it's a tad pricey, we still have to respect the technology that goes inside the Tabcon. Considering we can get whole tablets for ?70 (with 1Ghz CPUs, 7" capacitive screens and half a gig of RAM) and presumably still make a nice little profit, I'd say getting a controller with a much cheaper SOC (remember, even though it's a Tabcon, it's only a controller interface, not a standalone device) and only a 5" screen could probably be made, with profit, for ?60.

Either way, I'm definitely loving this trend of Tabcons in next gen consoles. Bring it on! :D

[MarkusDarkus]

And the award for the ugliest design concept image goes to..........

[Crisp]

So much for "You are the controller..."

[Xilo]

So you either deal with ridiculously long cords or have your controller die in 2 hours?

Real nice. :rolleyes:

[pack34]

It makes a lot of sense with the 360. I'm not too terribly optimistic that the touch screen would be all that useful while playing games but it can be very useful with the entertainment aspect of it. For example, with the Xbox companion app on my windows phone I can browse through netflix on the phone and tap a button and it plays on the tv. I can see the same working very well just using the controllers themselves.

[The Teej]

So much for "You are the controller..."

If you are the controller, and now you touch the controller, does that mean whenever you play Xbox you're touching yourself? :D

[Motoko.]

I hope I don't fall for new consoles again =/

[threetonesun]

More proof that the Dreamcast actually came from the future.

I personally think it's a great idea. A lot of games are limited by using the D-pad for selection, and many sports games are hindered by using a shared screen.

[(Spork)]

:x :x :x :x :x

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

So you either deal with ridiculously long cords or have your controller die in 2 hours?

Real nice. :rolleyes:

somehow the Wii U's controller is going to have acceptable battery life...

and please stop using the term 'tabcon' :rolleyes:

[Blackhearted]

So nintendo does something new with controls and the others follow in some way? Shocker. Who'd have thought that would happen.

[oceanmotion]

Lets wait and see. Who knows if it's true or what it's like.

I didn't like the look of the WiiU controller and I doubt MS is going to go down that route. People still want to play COD, Halo etc.

[Razorwing]

That's pretty ugly.

[oceanmotion]

So nintendo does something new with controls and the others follow in some way? Shocker. Who'd have thought that would happen.

Dreamcast at least. Tablets etc. It's not new. We don't know real details either.

[The Teej]

and please stop using the term 'tabcon' :rolleyes:

Why exactly? It's a lot easier then saying "tablet controller", especially when used more then once in a sentence.

[Motoko.]

More proof that the Dreamcast actually came from the future.

I personally think it's a great idea. A lot of games are limited by using the D-pad for selection, and many sports games are hindered by using a shared screen.

The Dreamcast was the last worthy console to own.

We're gonna be seeing more tabcons from Sony lol

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

Why exactly? It's a lot easier then saying "tablet controller", especially when used more then once in a sentence.

"controller"

[Amarok]

:/ Okay I guess? As long as it's not going to be used in an extremely irritating way. I can't imagine what it adds to the experience as a gamer, but I guess it could be useful for the other media functions of the console. This is one of those times where I'm thankful that I mostly enjoy fighting games on consoles and can bypass things like this entire by just using an arcade stick.

[NoLiMiT06]

:x :x :x :x :x

This...

[The Teej]

"controller"

I see, so "Wiimote" is accepted but Tabcon isn't - even though that's exactly what it describes.

How does one differentiate the traditional controller and tablet controller by simply labelling them all as "controllers"? You can't - hence classic controller and tablet controller, and we go full circle back to my original point - Tabcon is a perfectly acceptable abbreviation of Tablet Controller, which makes it a lot easier to say when used in a sentence more then once.

[winrez]

Dreamcast at least. Tablets etc. It's not new. We don't know real details either.

Remember the beloved Dreamcast ran Windows CE so i'm sure they had a hand in the development of the controllers with Sega

[Smashing Pumpkin]

Really have to doubt the necessity of the tabcons, but I guess we'll see how they pull it off. The tabcon would need a smaller creen than the WiiU for me I think that things huge and cumbersome not to mention delicate-looking. Tabcons could as many have said be really useful but I hope we can continue using classicons, tabcons are inherently expensive and fragile objects.

Tabcons, tabcons, tabcons.

[FMH]

I'm impressed. Nintendo has been the innovator here, and Sony and Microsoft are copying.

[shakey]

I like conlets more than tabcons.... tabcons just doesn't flow as well as conlets.