TheGreyHulk
Member
MS is loaded with cash. They have money to blow like that.
The Xbox One controller cost $100,000,000
- Thread starter EvB
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Marty Chinn
Member
You know, if everything would be as efficient as people keep thinking they should be, I bet the same people would be wondering why jobs are so hard to find. I've come to the conclusion after seeing a large corporation operate the way it does that in a way it's needed even if it seems wasteful because a lot of people would be out of jobs if corporations didn't spend money like this which gives businesses to other corporations and businesses that in turn employ other people.
haZethew0rld
Member
There's no hate, but if you're gonna spend 100m on a controller, could you at least add a rechargeable battery? It's not like they're that expensive.
Think I heard somewhere that the DoD uses hacked 360 controllers for a lot of remote operated hardware in the military. Like drones and stuff. I guess if Microsoft really does spend that much money developing that makes even more sense to me.
sixteen-bit
Member
Dat R&D cost. No wonder they wanted the DRM
What like, a 3rd analogue stick?
Fornaximus
Member
How much is Sony investing?
Also, if Microsoft invested 3-5 Billion for the XboxOne, how much are they potentially losing with not having it always online and used games? I'm sure they were planning to get a certain amount back from gamers having to buy new games or new unlock codes for used games.
Also i'm curious if they were prepared for Sony to launch their console for $100 less. I'm guessing they were thinking they would have a similar price and MS could carry their momentum from this gen and keep the same customers and add new ones. And they would get some of their investment back from AD money from this installed base. I also don't think they were expecting for Sony to charge for online as well. And i wonder if that can affect some of of the money they were expecting to get back from Live subs, that might not be there anymore if some multiplat owners choose to pay for online for one system only.
Anyway just thinking too much really, but it just seems like Sony's decisions on used games, $399 price, pay for online....were not expected from most....and i wonder if that included MS's game division.
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004RP2VNI/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Less than $20 w/ charger.
That's for 4.
Why are rechargeable batteries such a mystery to people still these days.
Do people actually like having batteries die on them, and enjoy internal non-swappable batteries that much?
No one was really questioning how common this is, just how inefficient it is. And if you worked at a big company, you'd know that's a common problem as well. This was a 2.5 yr project to ultimately produce minor evolutionary updates to an existing controller template. I think we're a little more than just "on the high side" here.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
This just sounds like utter PR fluff nonsense, or someones been writing their own paycheques liberally. Just where is that kind of fucking money going? Prototyping only costs so much, and focus testing pads and shit isn't going to run up that kind of bill.
Just.... jesus christ. Think of the number of games that kind of money could have bought. 100 Dragon's Crowns for a start. Stupid. Irresponsibly fucking stupid.
Just.... jesus christ. Think of the number of games that kind of money could have bought. 100 Dragon's Crowns for a start. Stupid. Irresponsibly fucking stupid.
Phat Michael
Banned
So you haven't used sony's pad and you don't know the r&d budget for their controller, yet you are certain that Sony "probably spent a tiny fraction of that amount".
Why not just say you are having a wild guess and prefer Sony and don't like Microsoft?
Alx
Member
I don't think a subtle change to the shell design would cost more than a dramatic one, since you'll still need to spend hours playtesting them, and that's the expensive part (compared to producing plastic prototypes).
And maybe the non visible features are the more expensive to develop (but I have no idea about that).
BleachAndPepsi
Banned
I remember reading E3 impressions from around the net that they actually took a bit of a step back ergonomically, that the triggers were oddly shaped, and the d-pad was still kinda meh.
YMMV, of course.
D
Deleted member 22576
Unconfirmed Member
I think Apple spent around 250$ million developing the original iPhone and ios... So this seems like a pretty inefficient use of r+d money comparatively.
I think you're right: MS expected a $499 PS4 with similar anti-consumer practices and they got burned.
Dualshock 4 can be recharged whilst the console is turned off, so unless you're planning on playing for 50 hours or so in one sitting (I wouldn't recommend it), it's a non issue.
sankt-Antonio
Banned
Maybe because (the development of) whole cars are being outsourced for less then 100.000.000$
Sandy Nipples
Banned
Complete, and utter bullshit. I really like the look of the new controller, but seriously, batteries people, fucking batteries up the arse for 100 bar.
Duxxy3
Member
I'm not necessarily agreeing with him, but Sony is historically known as a hardware company. Microsoft is still new at making hardware, and they tend to brute force development by throwing cash at it (which they have plenty of). Seems to work for Microsoft though.
MrJustinius
Member
Forget Kinect, this is true reason for the Xbone's price premium over the PS4. Dat value.
In all seriousness though, its looking like a top controller. Loved the 360 controller and this only looks like an improvement. Still not wanting an Xbone any time soon, though I eagerly anticipate the day when PC drivers are released. Still hoping for a hardwired version as well, the micro USB convenience of the wireless controller is great and all, but adding an extra port and not having a super stable wired connection is just an added area of failure waiting to happen.
In all seriousness though, its looking like a top controller. Loved the 360 controller and this only looks like an improvement. Still not wanting an Xbone any time soon, though I eagerly anticipate the day when PC drivers are released. Still hoping for a hardwired version as well, the micro USB convenience of the wireless controller is great and all, but adding an extra port and not having a super stable wired connection is just an added area of failure waiting to happen.
I admit I don't know how much Sony spent on the DS4. I also know Sony's in no financial shape to blow $100m on just their controller.
And no I don't hate MS, I just find blowing $100m on controller tweaks ridiculously wasteful and inefficient.
TheChewyWaffles
Member
At least the sticks are still in the right spot.
Visualante2
Member
Reminds me of that fable about NASA engineering a pen to work in space, while the Russians used a pencil.
ChiliManiac
Banned
Well my most favorite part of it is lol
I've never had any of my PS3 controllers die on me or seem like the rumble was low because of battery was getting old. This is including 4 sixaxis controllers since launch and 4 DS3 controllers since they were available.
Messed up joysticks and messed up triggers on the other hand.
SuperSonic1305
Member
And yet the press preferred the PS4 controller at E3. Seems like a waste.
The 100 million figure is probably BS anyway. But MS seems to think "Look at all the money we have!!" is good marketing.
Total issue when you are plaing and the battery dies mid game. In one scenario it is a quick swap and the other you aretethered to the console...and god forbid your couch is more than three feet from the tv when that happens.
Team eneloop ftw!
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
I've never had any of my PS3 controllers die on me or seem like the rumble was low because of battery was getting old. This is including 4 sixaxis controllers since launch and 4 DS3 controllers since they were available.
Messed up joysticks and messed up triggers on the other hand.
You must not have kids, and ALWAYS plug them in after play.
I just always have charged batteries. I don't worry about it until they die.. I swap them.. then keep playing after plugging the old batteries in the charger.
I can just set my controller on my side table. Zero to worry about.
Seriously, people are so backwards on the internal battery issue.
Ahem...
Die as in batteries went low and needed to charged. Not died as in battery is toast. Damn.. talk about missing the point.
This guy gets it.
I'm guessing we won't know what Sony spent since they aren't in a position to have to drop budget numbers, unboxing and controller videos, and GPU upclocking, etc. The level of fluff information coming out of MS for damage control is pretty high, and I expect it's only going to ramp up more as time goes on. Expect to hear how many man hours and millions were spent on the XBO's rubber feet before this is all over.
Triggerhappytel
Member
This is a crazy figure. Even if there were 100 people involved in the design and they earned an average of 100 grand per year (which is very high average, but then I assume MS employees earn a good wage), that still only comes to $25 million. Are prototypes, focus groups, whatever truly *that* expensive? It really is an insane figure; I'm having trouble getting my head around it. I mean, definite kudos for trying to get it absolutely perfect, but that just an insane amount if cash. In truth I'd rather they'd just improved the d pad on the 360 remote and spent the other 99 million on a major new game franchise or two.
Why would you be playing for 50+ hours in a row lol? You'd probably have to plug your controller in to the console whilst you're not playing, for but a few minutes, perhaps once a week, two if you game a lot.
This argument is backwards and quite hilarious.
Chinpoko_Master
Member
So they essentially spent one hundred million dollars making a controller that's 90% similar to the 360 controller and is apparently worse than the PS4 controller according to people who have used both.
What a waste of money.
What a waste of money.
I find it funny that people think this is a lot of money for this. The Xbox One is a couple billion dollars project for Microsoft.
Microsoft spends $700 million beefing up Xbox Live for Xbox One cloud support
Microsoft spending $1 billion on Xbox One games
People act like this $100 million is a lot for this, but it's both stupidly important to the life of the system as well as not the most expensive part about it. It sounds like a lot of money when you don't understand R&D costs, and I expect Sony to have spent as much or more on the DS4.
Microsoft spends $700 million beefing up Xbox Live for Xbox One cloud support
Microsoft spending $1 billion on Xbox One games
People act like this $100 million is a lot for this, but it's both stupidly important to the life of the system as well as not the most expensive part about it. It sounds like a lot of money when you don't understand R&D costs, and I expect Sony to have spent as much or more on the DS4.
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
Why worry about it? I can swap AA's without having to tether my controller. I deal with it when the light flashes.
Shalashaska161
Member
That's a lot of money for something that looks like a very incremental upgrade to an existing design. It looks great and I'm excited to get one for my PC, but man that's a huge amount.
unholyrevenger72
Banned
Concerning Battery and controller life of Dualshocks. I just buy a second controller and in turn triple the life span of both controller by alternating between them and not putting all that stress on one controller.