JoeX

This is too cool to keep quiet. It looks like Microsoft is going with a new controller design. A buddy of mine just passed me this image of what he says is the alpha controller for the next Xbox. I think it's pretty sweet, what do you guys think?

Copenhagen

Not a fan at all.....I hope the 'Duke' controllers are compatable with the Xbox2.

Josh H

Lame with only 4 face buttons. They need to make a design with 6 face buttons and all of them easily accessible (unlike the white and black buttons) IMO.

warcp

Those new contours don't really seem to add anything to the handling and what happened to the white and black buttons? 4 shoulder buttons now perhaps? Kinda looks like they're going for more of a PS controller design. Sure that isn't just some knockoff 3rd party XBOX controller he's trying to trick you with?

Lampei

I'm surprised no company has come out with a wireless controller straight out of the box. Something that could plug into a rechargeable base (like the logitech MX700 mouse) in between uses. Perhaps have one wireless and one wired.

Lampei

It's probably a PS2 controller "for the people that can't live without the feel of the Xbox s-controller"

warcp

It's got the X-Box button config, so that's why I was guessing it was a 3rd party current XBox controller.

fumanstan

My guess is that its a 3rd party controller as well. They need to just throw on 6 buttons on the face the same way the 6 button Genesis or Saturn controllers were

goLUCKY

I know that the black and white buttons were gone, but I hate the design.

Gideon68

I like the S Controller better. Why not just make the X-box 2 backwards compatible with the controller. The new concept looks old.

Ilikebluetooth

Looks like MS is letting Mad Catz design their controllers. There is NO way that's the Xbox 2 controller.

rawer

Because this way they can make ($30+ x3) when you want to play four players on the next system.

CephalicCarnage

It looks like that controller may have 2 sets of shoulder buttons; which for me, would be a welcome change from the sunken, hard to hit black and white buttons.

Still I'd much rather have a design based on the old Sega Genesis 6 button controller instead. Man that controller rocked.

Trigger

Several months ago, I posted some info I had about the next xbox controller... this could be it - I'd have to show the picture to my friend who held the thing in his hand. It doesn't really look as nifty as he described it though.

Michael Corvin

no memory card slot? No Xbox Live headset slot? Granted the mem card could go in the machine like GCN, I doubt they would drop the Live support.

No wireless standard?

Not impressed.

Th0r S1mpson

That may be the "alpha" controller as you say, but it is definately not the omega.

tenaciousdave

Some people can't use wireless controllers.

They are suceptable to interference from a number of things. For instance, at my previous house I couldn't use a Wavebird because of interference.

Same Wavebird, new house, and it works fine now.

Until wireless technology improves and is cheaper than wired, you won't see wireless as standard.

Tamrok

Looks pretty legit to me. It certainly jibes with all the current info on the Xbox 2 controller (no black/white buttons and four shoulder buttons like the PS2). If it really is the alpha version, I'm sure there will be some cosmetic changes to pretty it up before release. I like the additional shoulder buttons as a replacement for the hard to use black and white buttons. Overall, I like it...

Groucho

For those wondering, that's not a quarter in the picture. It's a pie tin.

Tamrok

Last I checked, both the PS2 controller and the Gamecube controller only have 4 face buttons. I guess they're lame too, then?

PixyJunket

Everything is "lame" to Josh, the word is in 90% of his posts.

Man, the SNES controller is lame too.. it only had 4 face buttons.

Josh H

Compared to the saturn and 6 button genesis controller, yes. But mainly because I HATE shoulder buttons.

Get Me Coffee

First I would like to say THANK YOU for sharing the pic. Seems every just started to bitch first and forgot to say thanks.

Anyway, I'm not that impress with the design...but it's still a working model...I hope 6 buttons can be configured into the layout.

trigun

Why can't Sony/Nintendo/MS just reuse the current controllers for the next gen consoles so that I don't have to rebuy all of my controller$?

scottall

This is the first I've heard about the four shoulder buttons and that sucks. I really like only having two triggers where I don't have to wrap my small femalish hands all around the controller.