Stupid article. It assumes both that this is intended to replace the traditional controller/games, and that Microsoft is going to focus on traditional games when developing for this new medium.

Both are incorrect. You’ll still have your traditional games, and they’ll stay far away from this. Think outside the box on this one…something I see a lot of people unable to do. “Well I need to press at least one button…” or “Halo couldn’t be controlled with this…” Shhh. You don’t need to press anything. Imagine a type of game where you don’t have to press anything. Let your imagination soar, and stop thinking in the box with the genres that work best with a traditional controller.

Two very separate things. Think what you can do with technology like Natal, and ignore what has been done before in “traditional” games. Use the “limitation” of no buttons as inspiration for a new type of product.

I don’t read this website for insightless, worrisome articles like this. You shouldn’t be writing about something when you have such a stilted view on the subject.

I can see the direction that Microsoft is headed with this, and frankly, I’m terrified. Imagine if this gh3y little video was an accurate depiction of the average American family? Imagine if people were so dependent upon machines and afraid of the outside world, that two friends couldn’t even take the time to go clothes shopping together in real life, or that two families would rely on an xbox to poorly emulate a family game night. That’s my first qualm, the whole liquid lifestyle this sort of product promotes.
My second grievance is that control systems like this lack tactile feedback. How hard do you know to turn a steering wheel when there is no resistance? Those subtle nuances in controller manipulation that allow great gamers to excel are less feasible with these methods of control. The games will most likely be designed to interpret a large sum of different input to produce the same in game result. All this does is take a control system that is already beautiful and dilute it with cheap gimmicks and broken mechanics.
The real problem with this shitty product, that most people seem to miss, is that there are already a ton of games you can play that require your entire body. There’s the traditional sports, there’s tag, capture the flag, paint ball, and whatever else your mind can come up with. Traditional controllers are important because they provide a UNIQUE experience. I love the feeling of the xbox controller in my hand. I love the feeling of popping off someone’s head in gears with a flick of the joystick. I love drifting in Outrun, and dodging bullets with the joystick in a shmup! A traditional controller provides a separate unique experience, much in the way the guitar hero controller provides a different experience than an actual guitar. There is NOTHING this product can offer any of us! I don’t need a god damned xbox to pretend like i’m a monster destroying a city. I have my own body and my own mind to take care of that.
I love controllers. I love my keyboard and my mouse. Control is an essential aspect to the gaming experience. If microsoft really thinks that it can take away controllers and provide people with an overpriced emulation of real life, they can go fuck themselves.