Rumor: Microsoft Developing Wiimote Ripoff
Last year when asked to describe the future of gaming Bill Gates went on to describe the Nintendo Wii and its Wiimote. When told that what he was describing was the Wii he denied it and brushed it off as something totally different than the Wii. Well, now it appears that Bill was serious in his description and has been dedicating the past year to copying the Wiimote.
The folks over at MTV News stand behind their amazing story that Microsoft is developing a Wiimote-like controller for their Xbox 360 in hopes of stealing some of the Wii's thunder and exclusive games. They are even supposedly ripping off Nintendo's Mii avatars. According to an MTV source Microsoft wants to "match the Wii point for point." 8bitjoystick, the guys who predicted Bungie Leaving Microsoft, have gone further and claim that the project's name is Newton and that we'll see more of this before the year is out.
I wouldn't be surprised if this were true - especially the stealing Wii games part. Microsoft is already on record paying out exorbitant amounts of money in order to steal exclusives away from the PS3, but they can't do that with the Wii because the gameplay and controllers are very different. Knowing Microsoft it makes perfect sense to make this Wiimote ripoff in hopes of luring some 3rd party Wii games onto the 360 and cut into the Wii's massive userbase.
Of course, I don't think they have a shot in hell of succeeding because it's apparent that Microsoft just doesn't understand what makes the Wii a success. Adding a Wiimote ripoff controller to the 360 is not going to steal away Wii gamers. Wii gamers bought a Wii because it was 1) Cheap 2) focused on gameplay and 3) easy to pick up and play. Xbox 360 gamers typically hate the Wii and aren't going to buy into a Wiimote style controller, and the casual gamers aren't going to leave the Wii for the more expensive 360 that has a hardcore gamerz only perception. On the other side Wii developers aren't going to make an inexpensive Wii game then spend the millions it takes to make a HD 360 port - not to mention all the hoops that have to be jumped through to include online, achievements and all the other crap Microsoft requires in their games.
It's difficult to see what Microsoft sees in this endeavor, but one thing is for sure - the chances of this thing being a success are zero.
Late in PS3 development, after Nintendo unveiled the revolutionary wiimote,
Sony attemped to steal the wiis thunder by incorparating half-ass motion
control into the PS3s controler. This didnt work for shit. All it resulted
in was an embassasment to Sony, and a lack of rumble, which pissed off a
lot of gamers. The motion control was so bad, it is hardly used in any
game, and even 1st party titles with motion control sucked (Lair).
Microsoft should take a hint and drop the project altogether. Again, stupid
people in charge.
