Microsoft spent "hundreds of millions" designing Xbox One controller
Xbox Accessories general manager Zulfi Alam says pressure to deliver a worthwhile controller was "tremendous."
Microsoft spent "hundreds of millions" designing the Xbox One controller, Xbox Accessories general manager Zulfi Alam told CVG in a new interview.
"The investments in redesigning a controller go into the hundreds of millions of dollars in tooling and R&D costs," Alam said. "Bearing in mind we started with something that people considered best-in-class, the pressure to do it right again was tremendous."
"Honestly, some of us felt like we were putting our career on the line," he added. "We were afraid we were going to burn through $100 million and come back with an under-developed controller."
The Xbox One controller, which will sell for $60 outside of console bundles, features a number of updates over its predecessor. These include new thumbstick shape and grip texture, a redesigned D-Pad, and triggers with haptic feedback.
In addition, the Xbox One controller automatically knows who is playing when the controller is passed to a friend, thanks to the pad pairing with Kinect. Lastly, the battery pack is inside the controller's body, allowing players more room to hold the pad.
For more on the Xbox One controller, check out the video below and GameSpot's hands-on reactions. The Xbox One launches in November for $500.
Marvel Rivals - Official Loki Character Reveal Trailer | The King of Yggsgard Remnant 2 - The Forgotten Kingdom | DLC Launch Trailer Stellar Blade - Official "The Journey: Part 2" Behind The Scenes Trailer | PS5 Games Fortnite Festival - Official Billie Eilish Cinematic Season 3 Trailer Dead by Daylight | Tome 19: Splendor | Reveal Trailer Starship Troopers: Extermination - Official "The New Vanguard" Update 0.7.0 Trailer 2XKO - Official Illaoi Champion Gameplay Reveal Trailer Destiny 2: The Final Shape | Journey into The Traveler Trailer Solo Leveling: Arise - Character Gameplay Teaser #15: Seo Jiwoo Genshin Impact - Character Demo - "Arlecchino: Lullaby" Goddess Of Victory: Nikke | Last Kingdom Full Animated Cinematic Trailer Metaphor: ReFantazio The King’s Trial Trailer
Please enter your date of birth to view this video
By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com
Join the conversation