Look at These Dreamcast-Inspired Original Xbox Controller Prototypes

Xbox co-creator Seamus Blackley has shared some images of prototypes for the original console's controllers--and they look familiar.

As you can see in the images below (via Gamasutra), the prototypes are inspired by controllers for the ill-fated Dreamcast console from Sega. The imagery also includes what appears to be a VMU as well. Take a look:

Blackley acknowledged the comparisons to the Dreamcast controller, saying Sega's console was the system to beat at the time. "These look as they do because at the time, Dreamcast was king. Influence," he said on Twitter.

Some of the prototype images also feature characters from the Power Stone series, which was made for Dreamcast. Click through the images in the gallery above to see them all.

Blackley also mentioned that Microsoft never came close to choosing any of these as the final design. It's unclear if Microsoft ever produced any physical prototypes or if they only stayed on the page.

Microsoft would eventually settle on a much different look for the Xbox controller. The original Xbox went on sale in 2001, the same year that Sega discontinued Dreamcast.

It's not uncommon for hardware companies to experiment with prototypes before choosing a final design. For example, Microsoft created more than 200 different prototypes for the Xbox One controller, while Sony tinkered with the idea of a DualShock 4 with a touchscreen on it.

What do you make of these original Xbox controller prototypes? Let us know in the comments below!