The Evolution of the Xbox Controller

For nearly twenty years, Microsoft’s Xbox has been a constant force in gaming, nestled alongside Sony’s PlayStation as one of the most popular gaming brands. With the coming shift that the upcoming Xbox Series X will bring, fans have been clamoring for more details on what’s to come with next-gen. While the console itself has some impressive features, the one thing that players are especially excited to see more of, and to get their hands on, is the controller itself. The many controllers throughout Xbox’s history have placed themselves among the pantheon of gaming’s most iconic devices, and the Xbox Series X’s controller looks to continue on a tradition of being an accessible peripheral to get a grip on.

With this in mind, we wanted to take a look at the history of the Xbox’s key controllers and upgrades. Many of these controllers would possess features and innovations that would go on to become trailblazers for more exciting and accessible ways to play for the audience. In this video, video producer Jay Julio takes us back to the beginning with the Xbox’s original controller–often known as The Duke–and explains how each device in the console’s history paved the way for what came next.

The Evolution Of The Xbox Controller

The Xbox Controller AKA

The Xbox Controller AKA “The Duke” | Release Date: November 15, 2001

The controller that would define the early years of the Xbox came about as a compromise. Former Xbox designer Seamus Blackley, whose previous works include Looking Glass Studios’ System Shock and Thief, and artist/designer Denise Chaudhari produced the initial concepts for the original Xbox’s controller. The features of the controller possessed many aspects from the latest trends in gaming around the turn of the millennium, which included two analog sticks, an 8-way directional d-pad, six face buttons, two analog triggers, and two slots for add-ons like memory cards. Due to a variety of factors, which mostly point to bulky internal parts, the released controller was a noticeably large device, which would give the console something of a negative reputation.

While it was known as just the Xbox controller, the device would receive many unofficial names over the years. The one that stuck was “The Duke,” which was named after project manager Brett Schnepf’s son. In an article from engadget breaking down the history of the original controller several of Xbox’s key architects detailed the key moments leading up to the launch of the console. During production, talks with Japanese manufacturer Mitsumi Electric–which produced the PlayStation 2’s DualShock 2– fell through, which meant that potential designs that were smaller weren’t possible to produce prior to the US launch. Microsoft went forward with a design that was ultimately more bulky and larger in size compared to other controllers on the market.

When the console and the controller were revealed at CES 2001, with both Microsoft head Bill Gates and former wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson introducing the new hardware, all eyes were glued to the device meant for the player’s hands. The original Xbox controller would not only go on to become infamous for its massive size, but it would also become the Guinness world record holder at the time for the largest gaming controller ever. Despite the reception that the controller would have at launch, it did find an audience of players who took a liking to the added size, making it more of a comfortable fit for them compared to the more compact Dual Shock or GameCube controllers.

In 2018, the massive controller had a minor resurgence when Microsoft and third-party manufacturer Hyperkin issued a re-release of the controller for modern Xbox consoles and PC, allowing fans of the console and the original controller to relive the early Xbox days. While The Duke was the controller that most players got to experience with the Xbox in its first year, the Japanese market would see a different controller when the console launched in 2002.

Alleged Rainbow Six Siege Copycat Gets Killed By Ubisoft Lawsuit

Last week Rainbow Six Siege developer Ubisoft filed a lawsuit against Google and Apple because of Area F2, a mobile free-to-play shooter developed by Alibaba and Ejoy. Area F2 has been taken down permanently, with refunds being issues to players who purchased items via microtransactions.

The notice of termination, shared by industry analyst Daniel Ahmad, stated that Area F2 would be taken offline yesterday, May 20. Although the notice makes no mention of Ubisoft and their lawsuit, the timing suggests Alibaba and Ejoy decided against trying to defend their product in court. Players who made purchases during the game’s beta period can apply for refunds, either through the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or third-party retailer.

Ubisoft pointed towards Area F2’s user-interface and end match score screen as particularly egregious examples of the game’s copyright infringement. The French publisher also noted that it had pre-emptively warned Apple and Google of the game before it filed its lawsuit, but that neither took the game down in response.

Rainbow Six Siege is one of the largest multiplayer shooters globally, with Ubisoft building upon the foundations it laid with the game’s original release in 2015. Recently two new operators (the game’s playable characters) were revealed, while Ubisoft have confirmed that the game will make the jump to Xbox Series X and PS5 later in the year. Ubisoft rolled out a battle pass model for the game late last year, and recently said it’s doing very well.

Recently we re-reviewed Ubisoft’s shooter, awarding it a 10/10 in our Rainbow Six Siege review. Critic Mat Paget praised the game’s complex action and rewarding action, saying, “It rewards patience, persistence, and teamwork, and over the past four years, Siege has not only become Ubisoft’s crown jewel of multiplayer action but also one of the best first-person shooters ever made.”

Now Playing: Rainbow Six: Siege Review (2020)

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First Assassin’s Creed Game Had Side Content Added In Five Days

When you think of AAA game development, images of designers, programmers, and engineers creating and iterating on their titles for months and years likely come to mind. The original Assassin’s Creed spawned an enormous franchise developed today by thousands of people, but its side missions were actually developed in a span of just five days.

Charles Randall–a former Ubisoft employee who worked on the first two Assassin’s Creed games–shared that the original game was essentially finished when the company’s CEO apparently had his son give it a try.

He found that version of the game to be boring and didn’t think there was enough to do, and the team then decided to add in side missions as a result. They only had five days to implement them, as the build they produced was going to be burned directly to discs and shipped.

One bug seemed to have made its way into Assassin’s Creed during this five-day crunch period, which can result in a Templar leader falling through the map and becoming impossible to kill. This can make it impossible to get all available Gamerscore without restarting.

Despite the tough deadline, Randall said there was less overtime on Assassin’s Creed than any other game he has shipped. No new art had to be used for the side missions, which instead used existing assets in new ways. It’s a far cry (sorry) from current Assassin’s Creed games, which are stuffed to the gills with side content that many players might never see.

The next game in the series, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, releases later this year for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, and PC.

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Xbox Series X Mock-Up Halo Infinite Design Is Good Enough To Be Real

Immediately after the Xbox Series X was announced, fans remarked that its refrigerator-like design makes it an excellent canvas for custom editions. Microsoft has yet to announce any special-edition Xbox Series X designs, but one fan has put together a very good-looking one for Halo Infinite. It’s sharp and rugged, yet it isn’t gaudy, and it looks good enough to be an official design if Microsoft launches a limited-edition console when the game releases.

Noted designer Xbox Pope created the lovely-looking mock-up that you can see below. It features the Halo franchise’s signature green color scheme and a distressed “117” in reference to Master Chief’s name. Xbox Pope also created a mock-up for an Xbox controller that matches up with the console design. Check it out below, but remember again that this is not an official design.

Given that Halo is one of Microsoft’s crown jewel franchises, and that Infinite is one of Microsoft’s marquee launch titles for Xbox Series X, it stands to reason that the company may actually create a special-edition console for the game. That’s just speculation for now, though.

Xbox Pope has also created mock-ups for Xbox Series X consoles Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, SpongeBob SquarePants, and even the popular sugary drink Arizona Ice Tea. You can see all of the designs over at Xbox Pope’s Instagram page.

Halo Infinite is a launch title for the Xbox Series X, releasing later this year. The game is also coming to the regular Xbox One as well as PC. Microsoft will finally show more of Halo Infinite as part of its first-party games showcase in July.

Now Playing: HALO: Infinite – Announcement Trailer | E3 2018

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Ghost Of Tsushima – 6 Interesting Facts You May Not Know

Ghost of Tsushima is something entirely new for Sucker Punch Productions. It draws from real-world Japanese history and explores it through the lens of classical samurai cinema. Tamoor spoke to creative director Nate Fox to find out more about the game, including how combat will work, how the idea for the game came about, and why the studio hopes you’ll choose to leave the beaten path while playing.

Watch the full video to see more of Ghosts of Tsushima and learn why you should be excited about it. Ghosts of Tsushima releases on July 17 for PlayStation 4.

CoD: Warzone Update Brings Classic Battle Royale Mode To Trios

Following a massive update that brought some new modes to Call of Duty: Warzone, developer Infinity Ward has announced that the Classic Battle Royale mode is now playable in Trios on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

The Classic Battle Royale mode, which was announced a little earlier this month, does just as the name implies. The mode removes all of Warzones add-ons–cash, contracts, loadouts, the Gulag, all of it–and opts for a stripped-down, traditional last-man-standing experience.

When Infinity Ward first introduced the mode, the studio called it a limited-time experience. It’s unclear whether the mode will remain as a permanent addition to Warzone’s playlist.

In addition to the new game mode, Infinity Ward rolled out a huge patch for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone. While it weighs in at approximately 31 GB across all platforms, the latest update makes a bunch of changes to both titles. This includes new items and weapons for Warzone, extra Modern Warfare maps, and more.

In other Call of Duty news, there are some apparent teasers happening in Warzone. The first seems to suggest that Captain Price–from the campaigns of both Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare–might make a return in Season 4. The second is a name reveal for this year’s Call of Duty title, reportedly called Black Ops: Cold War. An official announcement for this game is supposedly coming soon.

Starting June 1, GameSpot will be hosting Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts with the help of our friends from around the gaming world.

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Call Of Duty: Warzone Teases Captain Price For Season 4

The official Call of Duty app sent players a mysterious message yesterday about an event happening in Call of Duty: Warzone on Thursday, May 21, possibly in connection to Season 4. The notification is cryptic but players think it could mean a major change is coming to the Warzone map, Verdansk, sometime soon. A video teaser released alongside shows a fan-favorite character could be joining. It’s the most recognizable character in the series history–Captain John Price–and it was just a matter of time before he showed up.

The notification, which went out to everyone who has the app downloaded on Wednesday, mentions a “tactical alert” happening on Thursday and for players to maintain “vigilance on enemy comms for location of enemy surveillance.” Some players believe this is related to the newly-opened bunkers that contain a nuclear warhead and rare items, going as far to say the warhead will be use to level part of the map. We’re less than two weeks away from a new season for Warzone so this could be a teaser ahead of a new battle pass. A video teaser adds further fuel to the Price rumor fire, as his signature hat is visible.

The notification mentions an event happening at 4:37 PT / 7:37 ET on May 19 which aligns with when some of the first bunkers were opened in-game.

No concrete evidence about what will happen has been found, but community speculation has run rampant with players suggesting this could feature news about a new Call of Duty: Black Ops game, the 2020 entry in the series, or something for the fourth season of Warzone.

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