Boom. PDP is all up in Microsoft’s grill with the Gametrak Freedom wireless motion controller. It’s essentially a Wii remote for the Xbox 360 -- something Microsoft has been long-rumored to have in the works. PDP obviously isn’t first-party, but this remote doesn’t look like a slouch. GameSpot recently got their hands on it and gave all of us taste of what to expect when it hits this fall for around 70 bucks.
As you can see from the picture, the controller is missing a few buttons. Only one trigger (it’s located on the peripheral’s backside), the d-pad and the face buttons made the final cut. The Gametrak Freedom gauges movement much like Wii remote -- accelerometers and an “ultrasonic transducer” -- but does the motion sensing a bit differently. Instead of one sensor bar, you need two.
A little game called Squeeballs will be included with the controller. GameSpot describes it as a party game. Go figure.
[image via GameSpot]
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Contest:
7:20 PM on 04.06.2009
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Just sayin'
Squeezeballs sounds like it should be an amazing game....
Stop riding the bandwagon Shitsoft. It's bad enough you tried to enter the gaming world to begin with.
That thing is the cheapest piece of crap I've ever seen in my life. And two censor bars? What, they couldn't get it right looking at tech that's been out for over two years already? And not all the buttons? God.
As one of the few Wii-supporters on Dtoid, I have to agree completely. If I wanted to play games that act like the Wii, I never would have bought a 360!!!
NO! Keep the fucking waggle-ware restricted to the Wii where it can at least be contained! First Microsoft copies the damned Miis, now they're copying the damned controller? ENOUGH!
One of the nice things about the 360 and PS3 is that they target a totally different demographic than the Wii. I LIKE THAT! If I want my "casual" games (excluding games like No More Heroes and MadWorld), I'll go to my Wii. When I want to do some really serious gaming, I'll go to my PS3 or 360 or my even-more-powerful PC.
Unfortunately, this is not without precedent. This idea merely continues Microsoft's three-decade, corporate requirement of copying someone else's technology and act like its a new Microsoft "innovation". (See dBase, Lotus 1-2-3, WordPerfect, WordStar, Harvard Graphics, OS/2, CP/M, etc.)
@Pedro
Careful bro, your fanboyism is showing, its funny Cause Nintendo is perfectly happy with just coming up some new gimmick AND MILLIONS SOLD and yet here you are saying nobody can call Nintendo gimmicky again.
Let me give you kids a shocker, things evolve because someone takes an existing concept and expands on it, I know you kiddies won't accept it cause its treading ON THE MIGHTY NINTENDO'S TURF but you never know, another company could take the concept of the Wiimote and make it better, its not that hard seeing as the current Wiimote isn't very good.
Oh and motion technology existed well before Nintendo decided to make a console out of it.
But whatever, you may now return to your MS, excuse me, M$ bashing and praising Nintendo.
I agree with you about Nintendo coming up with gimmicky stuff all the time (that was my first thought when I saw the cameras in the DSi). I should have specified that I was talking about the actual remote, that people still think is a gimmick. Sadly enough, too many companies do in fact use it in gimmicky ways.
The thing that bugs me is that everyone is trying to copy the motion control thing just because it's popular at this point. I seriously doubt anyone who comes up with anything like the Wii remote will actually be making decent games for whatever the device is, save for that one PC remote that was shown a while back. I have absolutely no problem with people copying the Wii remote's design and capabilities, but only if they actually try to make it decent. There's no way this thing for the 360 is going to be anywhere near that.
This seems weird though. I mean, do you hold it like a light-sabre? I'd like to see a serious game work with just a d-pad and buttons though. At the very least it would be awkward for a few hours and at worst it would be a complete mess.
Kyousuke actually has a valid point. I don't think he's being a troll.
I probably did sound like a Nintendo fanboy up there, even though I didn't mean to. Kyousuke is right, though, expanding on what Nintendo has put forth with the Wii is definitely a good thing. I just disagree with his belief that the Wii remote isn't good, because I think it's actually quite good if used correctly, better than a traditional controller. But that's all preference.
The thing that bugs me about this is the fact that it has two censor bars. I get why they're there --- Bigger TVs will benefit. But is a small censor bar that bad? I've used the Wii's censor bar on a 60-inch, and had no problems with it at all.
I dont think everyone is angry that people are treading on Nintendo's "turf" as you so haillariously called it. But I think everyone is passionatly against this becasue they dont want to see microsoft continually come out with pathetic copys of nintendos gimicky technology. Not everyone is some faggy little kid or a fucking "casual" gamer and they dont want to see another system that they support turn into that. Example = Nintendo. Ohh and by the way using the word kiddies in daily conversation makes you sound like a pedophile.
No he doesn't. He has a single coherent thought buried under insults, condescension, and flame baiting.
Why is this not a good idea? It can't be used on any game not specifically designed for it. I'm not going to be able to use this to play Gears of War or Halo (and let it be known that after Metroid Prime: Echoes and Resident Evil 4 I'm absolutely dying to give a Wiimote like device a chance on these sort of games). I can't think of a single game whose controls could be replicated using this. That leaves the game that it is being bundled with and what else? These guys might decide to release another game, if this initial game/controller combo sells enough somebody else might decide to make a compatible game but at that price point I highly doubt it.
A Motion controller will only work with a Microsoft solution that is sold with every console. This idea is an absolute abortion which will do no favours for the 360.
What I really wanted was a 360/PS3 controller that had the Wii remote's pointer functionality. I could really give a rat's ass about motion controls, it's the pointer that makes me love the Wii remote.
All in due time, I guess.
This is pretty stupid, though. Maybe. Who knows? Making gamerkind genuinely embrace waggle hasn't exactly been the Wii's strong suit (can you name two friends who don't pick up a 'Cube controller for Smash Bros.?), handful of respectable games aside--with the diverse library and huge support on its side, maybe the 360'll surprise everyone and show that waggle's good for more than minigame shovelware and last-second ports from the Gamecube.
Personally, I'll reserve judgment for if and when some game comes out that tries its damndest to make me want to take this thing seriously.
It's true, the pointer is what makes the Wii remote truly great. Look at how minimal the motion controls were in Metroid Prime 3, but the aiming in that game was better than any other shooter I've ever played.
I agree, that would be awesome. RE4 on the Wii has the best action game control scheme I've used EVER, in my opinion. But this remote isn't being built with previously released 360 games in mind.
That's why it's destined to fail. It's a secondary controller (not even 1st party) that's coming out over 3 years into the console's life. That's why a lot of people are worried about Wii MotionPlus --- It's going to be required to play some games, but it's coming out only now.
Motion controlled Raving Rabbids for the 360 would be pretty awesome IMO
Oh common man, its not the fact that the Wiimote has pointer that you love it so much, its the fact that it was born from the womb of nintendo. Common! Common!
On another note. Hey that controller looks familiar! I think in all honesty I would buy a 360 just for this gimmicky....ah hem...I mean, wonderful piece of technology. :D Cheers Microsoft, you still wont come in first place but al teast your making an effort. More than what can be said about my poor sony :(
That, and someone mentioned that if this is successful, there will likely be an explosion of minigame compilations and other crap infesting the Wii appearing on the 360 too.
I still can't get over how this thing is even worth $70. Yeah, I know, TWO sensor bars, but...I dunno. How much is Wiimote+WiiMotion Plus supposed to cost, in comparison? I'd rather there be something like a cheap $20 addon that goes on the controllers we already have instead of having to buy this new thing that burns a bigger hole in the wallet.
What part of "third party" don't you understand?
Jesus Christ, I forgot how atrociously ugly the animation was for Recess. The pink Ashley looks like Richard Nixon.