1P Start

At the beginning of last month, rumours emerged of Microsoft developing a Wii Remote style controller for the Xbox 360 in an attempt to grab a piece of Nintendo’s obviously huge market. The company has already started this strategy by releasing the Xbox Arcade pack, a cheap and cheerful package to appeal to casual gamers everywhere.

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of months, here’s a short rehash of the rumours. MTV News (not who I’d normally look to for gaming news, or any other news for that matter) reported that an inside Microsoft source has revealed the plans for an almost exact replica of the Wii Remote. It looks almost identical, although is thought to have a microphone included for future games similar to Singstar.

At the time, Microsoft refused to comment on the speculation, as they do with almost every rumour, but Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has chosen to speak out.

He told MCV in an interview:

“I am also aware of the [Microsoft Wiimote] rumour and have seen a fake image made by a fan on the web which looks like a Wii Remote with the rumour that such a controller may be launched, However there is no way for us to comment on such speculations,”

“All I can say today is, it is not that easy to develop software which leverages the characteristics of the Wii Remote. We are not concerned about what other companies may do but rather more concerned with presenting them with new ideas to our customers based on the prospect that our existing customers will surely get tired of the plays enabled by Wii Remote if we do not try to improve the experience.”

“In other words, what matters to us is whether or not we can continue to constantly create and offer new surprises one after another.”

So even though we don’t at this stage know whether the controller is even in development or not, Nintendo really don’t care as they have their own plans. These plans are sure to include what is going to happen in the next generation. My guess would be that the company will be looking at newer, even more innovative and technologically advanced ways for gamers to interact with the games.

Microsoft meanwhile will continue to stay silent on the speculation, and we’ll just have to wait and see whether these rumours are indeed true or not. The problem may be that if this Xbox 360 version of the controller does get released, it may mean Nintendo gets squeezed out of the market it has created for itself. But with the Wii still beating the Xbox and PS3 where it hurts (in sales) every month, I can’t see that happening.

[Source: Gaming Today]