Microsoft to charge for add-ons to XBox 360

#1 Might not be a bad thing considering how inferior the general quality of non OEM parts are that third parties come up with.

Just about all non MS products for Xbox 1 were inferior to the standard kit and with keyboards and mice, along with cross compaibility with windows PC's and Xbox 360 I can see why they might want to do that.

#2 If anybody has the money to back up such a practice, it's Microsoft. I would like to see more quality parts and less garbage anyway. (I don't trust 3rd party controllers in the slightest anymore.)

#3 Of course... Legaly, the courts have usualy ruled in favor of the 3rd party manufacturers, unless there is a VERY clear patent violation.

Sega VS. Accolade (circumvention to run unlicensed game code)
Nintendo VS. Camerica (game genie add-on for the NES and SNES)
Nintendo VS. Color Dreams (circumvention to run unlicensed game code)
Lexmark VS. Static Control Components (circumvention to use unautorized ink cartriges)

#4 They've also slapped down a lot of restrictions regarding third party parts, too. Nothing wireless, no HDs and no cheat devices, for starters. I get the feeling they're assuming they'll be kings of this generation somewhat prematurely - outside of their excessive pre-hype efforts, there isn't a terrible amount of excitement.

#5 I am looking forward to owning an XBox 360 and a PS3. Why pick sides when both have great games?

#6 Haven't seen much hype from the MS camp at all really. I don't care for their geekyness in all their promotion stuff, which tends to be about as cool as Bill gates himself lol.

photos1.blogger.com/img/8/1913/640/young%20bill%20gates%201.jpg

I'll be getting a Xbox 360 eventually, mainly because their systems have the most PC like games, and consoles get the most development push as they make the most money.

#7 Uhm, Adrian, did you see the grand unveiling of the 360? Their lofty target of having 1 billion gamers worldwide? Giving the impression that with this generation the entire user base will be Live-enabled, when only about 6 to 10 percent of users now do it?

They're making mistakes made previously by Nintendo, which hurt them in the long run. Set requirements for all games, namely HD and Live support, which aren't always necessary. What's the point? Not that many people have HDTV, even less an internet connection accessible near where they place the console.

#8 If part of the this liscensing includes some thorough compliance testing to ensure that it works then I have absolutely no issues with them doing this. The whole reason why I bought a console was for the fact that it just works and I don't have to deal with the BS of hardware and drivers.

Using the Xbox here is an example of where proper compliance testing would come in handy if it was part of the required testing: I bought a cheap Xbox DVD plug-in from some 3rd party and the remote didn't even work with the sensor, I had to go and find a RCA DVD remote to interface with the sensor properly. IMHO this was a pretty rediculous thing to do and if I was joe consumer I would have blamed the Xbox for the failure of the device, not the shoddy workmanship of the 3rd party hardware manufacturer. So if liscensing rights will prevent this sort of thing from occuring, lets have at it.

#9 I agree with Adrian's first statment. I always buy Microsoft, Nintendo, or Sony brand game pads and memory cards. I still remember when aftermarket PS1 controllers (can't remember the brand) would destroy your controller sockets forever.

Plus aftermarket controllers often "feel" wrong. Especially with the anologue sticks. Not enough tension, messing your aim up in Halo.

My final point is Microsoft has the right to do whatever they want with their system. Why should companies get a free ride to make whatever controllers they want on someone else's system, and not have to pay anything to the company they are making money off of. That's just being a parasite. If it wasn't for MS, Sony, and Nintendo creating these systems, they wouldn't be making money so I say to these companies give Microsoft their fair share. They are making it possible for you to eat and then some.
-Ajari-

#10 Nintendo fell from number 1 for a few reasons ... none of them having much to do with licensing rights.

A) They lost touch with gamers when they replaced the blood in Mortal Kombat with sweat ... after this move they were considered the "lame" company while Sega was the "cool" company.

B) Following up the next generation they were going toe to toe with Sony's great new pice of hardware that was also a CD player. The prices of their games were exorbitant to produce and buy because they were cartriges. This drove away all the 3rd parties because the third parties could make so much more money selling Playstation games. Which of course in turn drove gameplayers away from Nintendo and toward Sony. The current generation ... Sony won by default because their first generation was so great.

Hardware licensing and the lawsuits gave Nintendo a bad name perhaps with some companies but I don't think it had much to do with their fall from grace. It was mostly to do as always with the games. I agree with Logan. Let them control the licensing rights and the quality will go up ... which is the point of a game console ... to have an easy time getting things that work.

#11 I think its great, higher quality is where its at... I just hope someone makes an xbox360 controll that feels like the original xbox controler... that thing was fantastic. Its a shame the small handed freaks [ :P ] got them to start packaging a mini controller.

#12 LOL, you must be like Andre the Giant ... I hated those dinner plate sized controllers.

#13 The funny thing about the Playstation.... Nintendo created it.

They contracted Sony to build a CD drive for the Super Famicom (SNES) and before the project was finished... they dumped the project. Sony continued working on the project and so the Playstation was born.

#14 I bet their #1 reason for doing this has nothing to do with "testing for hardware compliance to prevent damage to the console" and everything to do with preventing groups like Team Xecuter from creating hardware hacks and workarounds.

#15 Yeah Robert theres that too, afterall with a action replay and one of 3 older games you can hack your xbox without a mod chip and run any kind of software and media you want.

I'm sure MS want to do everything possible to reduce the risks of this happening with the 360, and maintain a certain level percieved quality with Xbox360 associated products.

#16 Chris, I think you and the other people who liked the big controlers will be happy with the new Xbox controler. Matt Fairfax hates the S-controlers and likes the 360 ones, and people (like me) who hated the 'duke' controlers also like the 360 controlers.

I don't know how I feel about this. I don't really know of a case where I bought a 3rd party controler and liked it. Mad Catz controlers suck, in my experience. We got one for our GameCube because they were slightly cheaper when I was in school and it was aweful. The buttons didn't push right, the stick was too tweeky. With this experience, I see Microsofts point of view. These cheap-ass controlers come out, people buy them instead, and the games suck on it. I never found or saw a GameCube controler better than the Wavebird. It's kind of monolithic, but it is really nice, as a developer, to know how your game will look and feel wherever anyone plays it, and since Microsoft can't really say, "Your controler has to feel good," or whatever and actually be able to enforce it, this is the next best thing. Hopefully it will discourage people from releasing sub-par products because they won't be able to make a cheap-buck if they have to pay licencing fees.

#17 SWEET.

I loved the bigger control, though to be honest I think it had a lot to do with my love for my DreamCast ( I still maintaing its the #2 console of all time).

I have to agee with you though, 3rd party controllers have always been a waste of shelf space. So hopefully MS will be solving that problem by going this route...

ON the other hand, its entirely possible the 3rd party controlls will still feel cheap ass, but cost a lot more... Hmmm...

BTW, I can't wait to see whats going on with GG and XBox 360. Gonna be great I'm sure.

#18 Does this mean MS will release a light gun for HOTD4? The Mad Cat one I have for the old XBox is too heavy and tires your hand out after a short while of blasting on HOTD3......

@Pat

The new controller isn't much bigger than an S-Pad so what do you mean people who liked the big pad will like it? It's only this big because of the wireless part and the black and white buttons being moved to the front (the joy of dev kits :o) )

I should also add our MS guy says it's this size because a bigger pad wouldn't suit the Japanese market any (none of this is in the NDA by the way and the pictures are already out there so it's a free subject with one or two caveats)!

#19 It's differently shaped. It doesn't look it, but it holds differently. All I know is Matt hates the S-controlers, loves the duke, and likes the 360.