Rumor: Next Xbox Uses Touchscreen Controller

[Mike Kayatta]

Rumor: Next Xbox Uses Touchscreen Controller

It looks like the Wii U may not be the only new console yearning for your touch next year.

There may not be a new Xbox showing up in 2012 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/115564-Microsoft-No-New-Xbox-in-2012], but that doesn't mean it's not on its way sooner or later, with many reports now projecting a late 2013 launch. Between now and whenever "then" actually is, Microsoft will be hard at work assembling the machine that will one day become the 360's successor. As part of this process, multiple developers are usually given prototypes with which to play, and inevitably, details leak. Of course, that doesn't mean all rumors are true, but this latest one seems like a distinct possibility: The new Xbox will have tablet/analog hybrid controllers.

"Microsoft are experimenting with a tablet-like controller with a shape closer to Sony's sleek Vita handheld / Apple's iPad than Wii U's bulky unit," reads a report from Xbox World Magazine, "it's an HD screen surrounded by the traditional 360 buttons and sticks."

This newest report comes as a follow up (presumably from the same anonymous sources) to the idea that the next Xbox will act as a media center, centralizing people's movies, TV, and gaming experiences into one tight bundle. Keeping with that premise, this new tablet controller would hypothetically adapt to your experience, morphing into a remote for your television when you want to watch Doctor Who and then to a browser when you want to kick back and read the latest installment of Critical Miss [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comics/critical-miss/9401-The-Darkness].

While it's easy for most gamers to be immediately suspicious and/or skeptical about any control method other than a standard hunk of plastic littered with analog buttons (and I'm generally one of them, by the way), this could actually be decently great if done correctly. Regardless, for now we're still squarely in rumor-land, and we can probably expect to see even more of them before getting any real answers at this year's E3 in June, when Microsoft is expected to show us the goods. Maybe.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-10-next-xbox-has-tablet-like-touch-screen-controller-rumour]

Permalink

 

[Mister K]

Oh those rumors.
In a week, there will be information about X-box 720's "shoot lazers and make sandwiches" function.

 

[Mr. Omega]

You know, there are also rumors that Sony will be doing the same thing. And there's some patents that back up said rumor.

Also, on the "bulky WiiU unit" thing, almost every single report from people who have actually held the WiiU tablet say the thing is easy to hold and comfortable.

Still, this is just a rumor, but for the sake of argument and discussion: I wonder how that would work with the Kinect?

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Is it bandwagon time? I don't actually like touch screens, I kind of go out of my way to avoid them with phones. I value my tactile feedback and I don't want to think about having to deal with a touchscreen and motion controls... If it is completely optional like in most DS games then I guess maybe but I don't want it shoved into gameplay for the sake of "It is there so use it" >.<

We'll see what Sony does.

You know, there are also rumors that Sony will be doing the same thing. And there's some patents that back up said rumor.

Oh joy.

 

[Johnny Wishbone]

"This newest report comes as a follow up (presumably from the same anonymous sources) to the idea that the next Xbox will act as a media center, centralizing people's movies, TV, and gaming experiences into one tight bundle."




Why can't my game console just be a damn game console? Do one thing, and do it well. Don't try to do ten things mediocre....

 

[NLS]

Oh those rumors.
In a week, there will be information about X-box 720's "shoot lazers and make sandwiches" function.

I heard some rumors that Michael Pachter has some predictions on some rumors about the next-next generation of consoles. You heard it first from me. (<-reliable source)

 

[RatRace123]

If true, then it means that Microsoft isn't waiting until after the Wii-U ships to start taking pages from Nintendo.

I kid of course. But I do hope this means touch screens don't become the new motion control, and I hope to god it means that the two don't interact. I've played a few iPod games where you have to tilt the device to play the game and that's just awkward.

Also I dislike touchscreens. I get fingerprints and smudges all over them and there's no tactile feedback when I "push a button" on one of them.

 

[Terminate421]

The next rumor will have the Xbox 720 able to have a time machine app. It will also be able fire laser beams.

 

[vxicepickxv]

...this could actually be decently great if done correctly.

See that part I put in bold. That's the important part. It might take companies too long to get it right. All it takes is ONE bad set of sales for a publisher to kill a franchise.

 

[Jaeger_CDN]

So in otherwords they'll want to do something like Razer's Project Fiona [http://www.razerzone.com/projectfiona] game pad/tablet thingy

oh joy

 

[mad825]

Ha! I would now like to see people throw their controllers in a fit of rage.

 

[D0WNT0WN]

Well I am done with console gaming. All this incoming forced waggle, touch pads and pandering to the casual market is going to leave all of us who used a control pad growing up alienated. I cant say I didnt see this coming when Microsoft and Sony decided to release their own variations of motion control.

As soon as I get the funds im going to build a nice high spec desktop pc with a massive hard drive and as a big fuck you to every developer and publisher who dares jump on this horrible casual bandwagon I am going to get myself banned from the Escapist for mentioning it.

 

[Epona]

Wouldn't surprise me, the new 360 dashboard looks like a touchscreen phone and Windows 8 will as well so....

 

[Braedan]

it would be fantastic if there was a touch sensitive pad where the XBox button is (like a laptop touch pad) for gesture control.

it would AWFUL if there was a touch SCREEN that I had to look down at and use for no reason.

 

[Sandytimeman]

you know what would be cool? If sony and xbox didn't just rip off everything nintendo does. Seriously...first motion controls and now tablet controllers >.>

I don't know about this seriously it makes me just shake my head in disappointment.

 

[Yopaz]

OK, if this is true then it seems all 3 are going with touchscreen controllers. I guess they decided that they should copy Nintendo at once rather than waiting this time.

 

[Baresark]

Yeah, no kidding they will be. There doesn't seem to be any other choice now. The industry is defining the standards that come in the next generation by simply copying off of the first one out. I mean, the 360 and PS3's big thing was HD gaming. Now Nintendo's big thing is a touch screen controller, but that is also Sony's thing with the Vita and there controller, and now that is going to be MS's thing. I don't give a damn as long as they control well.

OK, if this is true then it seems all 3 are going with touchscreen controllers. I guess they decided that they should copy Nintendo at once rather than waiting this time.

Stated perfectly.

 

[The Great JT]

In a week, there will be information about X-box 720's "shoot lazers and make sandwiches" function.

If it doesn't make a good roast beef with ketchup on a bolillo roll, I will decry it as the worst console ever.

On the topic of the story, you ever think that game systems are evolving in the wrong direction? I mean a touch screen controller is nice, but what's so bad about "press button to commit action" controllers? They've been working for a long time, from what I've seen, why go messing with the formula now?

 

[Gxas]

Gahhh...

Stick with the controller we have that works. Why does everything need a gimmick?

 

[Mister K]

In a week, there will be information about X-box 720's "shoot lazers and make sandwiches" function.

If it doesn't make a good roast beef with ketchup on a bolillo roll, I will decry it as the worst console ever.

On the topic of the story, you ever think that game systems are evolving in the wrong direction? I mean a touch screen controller is nice, but what's so bad about "press button to commit action" controllers? They've been working for a long time, from what I've seen, why go messing with the formula now?

Because ammount of people playing games on tablets instead of home consoles is to damn high to ignore and companies are trying to lure customers in by all means neccesary.
That is IMHO, of course.
I personally do not like any form of touch-screen devices and I hope that at least my favorite PS will not go down this road. You know what, I hope those rumors about XB720 are fake too.