The Xbox One controller cost $100,000,000

Some people in here make it sound like this thing was barely upgraded at all. From what I've read there have been some fairly significant improvements including the ability to stream 5.1 audio through the controller.

I have no idea what R&D cost for these kinds of projects but given how much Microsoft has already invested in Xbox it doesn't seem too ridiculous.
 
jstevenson said:
Microsoft invests large sum of money to experiment and improve the primary input device you use the majority of the time you are playing games on your console.

GAF complains.
Click to expand...

Love the overgeneralization.
 
jstevenson said:
Microsoft invests large sum of money to experiment and improve the primary input device you use the majority of the time you are playing games on your console.

GAF complains.
Click to expand...

You could have cut all the words out after "microsoft" and Gaf would still complain.

2 free batteries? Complain

no more DRM? Back peddling. Complain.

53mhz increase in gpu? Lol only 53! Complain.

Xbox one is near silent? Lol external power brick! Complain.

Xbox One now comes with free headset. Back peddling. Complain.
 
LyleLanley said:
Some people in here make it sound like this thing was barely upgraded at all. From what I've read there have been some fairly significant improvements including the ability to stream 5.1 audio through the controller.

I have no idea what R&D cost for these kinds of projects but given how much Microsoft has already invested in Xbox it doesn't seem too ridiculous.
Click to expand...

.
 
How much does controller R&D usually cost? Sounds like he was just pulling the number from there. Is that figure really that so outrageous considering the whole XB1's R&D pricetag? Sorry if I'm way off base here. I'm just not well versed in uhh... controller manufacturing.
 
Phat Michael said:
You could have cut all the words out after "microsoft" and Gaf would still complain.

2 free batteries? Complain

no more DRM? Back peddling. Complain.

53mhz increase in gpu? Lol only 53! Complain.

Xbox one is near silent? Lol external power brick! Complain.

Xbox One now comes with free headset. Back peddling. Complain.
Click to expand...

This made me laugh more than it should, but nevertheless, it made me laugh.
 
Guys, the truth is that the actual cost is $100,000,001 but in typical MS fashion they like to undersell their product. Like Xbone is only $500 but the reality is "thousands of dollars" in value. So $100 million it is.
 
Dranakin said:
...what? You're starting with the incorrect assumption that the 360 controller is the "best in market" or "almost perfect."
Click to expand...

You are right, Kutaragi said the Dual Shock 2 was perfect, which is why it's been redesigned entirely on 2 separate occasions.
 
Phat Michael said:
You could have cut all the words out after "microsoft" and Gaf would still complain.

2 free batteries? Complain

no more DRM? Back peddling. Complain.

53mhz increase in gpu? Lol only 53! Complain.

Xbox one is near silent? Lol external power brick! Complain.

Xbox One now comes with free headset. Back peddling. Complain.
Click to expand...

Well, the Pro-Sony crowd is typically much louder on the internet.. always has been.

I mean shit, someone in this thread implied that someone who couldn't wait to use the controller was some kind of MS shill for fuck's sake.

I don't look at any of this XB1 back pedalling as negative.. I look at is a positive. People complained, MS listened and changed course.
 
Zuhzuhzombie!! said:
How would you wash them?
Click to expand...

4cvfa2kky0.gif
 
NervousXtian said:
Well, the Pro-Sony crowd is typically much louder on the internet.. always has been.

I mean shit, someone in this thread implied that someone who couldn't wait to use the controller was some kind of MS shill for fuck's sake.

I don't look at any of this XB1 back pedalling as negative.. I look at is a positive. People complained, MS listened and changed course.
Click to expand...
What I don't get is if there was a new ps4 thread about a gpu getting a slight overclock or something small like a free cable or batteries, I'd think it's great. I don't even think I'd jump into the thread to say how MS is better or how improvements are negative.

Its the same bullshit jokes in every thread and it's been that way since May.

Its amazing that improvements to a console are viewed as negative here because of the brand of the console. Not only that, people like major nelson are belittled and abused because they work for MS, it's ridiculous.
 
jstevenson said:
Microsoft invests large sum of money to experiment and improve the primary input device you use the majority of the time you are playing games on your console.

GAF complains.
Click to expand...
As great as Insomniac treats their employees, how long does it take you guys to spend $100 million? How many games would that cover from your catalog?

I think we all appreciate wise, effective, efficient invesment, JS.
 
jstevenson said:
Microsoft invests large sum of money to experiment and improve the primary input device you use the majority of the time you are playing games on your console.

GAF complains.
Click to expand...

In a alternate universe Microsoft cuts investiments on controller R&D and the controls becomes a black stain in the XboxOne legacy.
 
EvB said:
You are right, Kutaragi said the Dual Shock 2 was perfect, which is why it's been redesigned entirely on 2 separate occasions.
Click to expand...

..and yet they still have the analog in the wrong spot.

kaching said:
As great as Insomniac treats their employees, how long does it take you guys to spend $100 million? How many games would that cover from your catalog?

I think we all appreciate wise, effective, efficient invesment, JS.
Click to expand...

I don't think you understand how a company budgets R&D expenditure.

MS hasn't been holding back on investing on the gaming side of the XB1 at all.

You are pretending it's like there's some pie chart of finite funds that removes money from one side to fund another. Doesn't work like that at all.
 
Something still just looks so...off about the Xbone controller. I don't know if it's the shape or the empty space, it just looks odd to me.
 
Bsigg12 said:
I'm curious if all the machinery they used in designing the insta-prototypes (CNC machines and 3D printers) were new and not reused from the Surface team. Also, they probably spent a lot on all the stuff used to test the durability of the controller itself.
Click to expand...

Not reusing existing in house prototyping would not unheard of, silly as it sounds. Though a CNC for a controller and a 3D printer (and what not), plus doing a sweep with the injection molds once you've ordered those, won't be THAT expensive.

If durability testing sets them back tens of millons, they should hire better test engineers.

You can literally develop entire mechatronical product lines for that kind of money. So I'm thinking they rolled in some serious infrastructure work into that R&D sticker.
 
I would imagine something like a controller goes through hundreds of designs and lots of testing over time. It isn't really that surprising that it would take so long to get it right.
 
Wouldn't surprise me, as Lufthansa spent ~$1Bil on designing new first/business class seating for their range of planes.

Might seem like a crazy amount, but the pad is a big part of the experience(much like airplane seats); don't want to cut back on that shit.
 
This almost makes it a guaranteed that the controller will have a high failure rate. You just jinx yourself by saying this. Incoming red ring controller.
 
Phat Michael said:
You could have cut all the words out after "microsoft" and Gaf would still complain.

2 free batteries? Complain

no more DRM? Back peddling. Complain.

53mhz increase in gpu? Lol only 53! Complain.

Xbox one is near silent? Lol external power brick! Complain.

Xbox One now comes with free headset. Back peddling. Complain.
Click to expand...
People complain about everything on here. Come to think of it, people defend everything on here too..even rapists. Not sure what point you're trying to make, outside of the usual "HIVEMIND LOL".
 
It sounds like a lot, but considering they're selling each console at $500 and considering how much money MS has, I'm not terribly surprised the controller had that much invested in it. Plus, I bet a lot of those employees make good money, so with that factored in it's not that crazy.
 
This is what Sony should have done with the PS3 controller. Instead they just slapped motion control in it and gave us the same shitty controller as the previous gen.

I don't know if I'll get a One, but I'll sure buy this controller for my PC.
 
nib95 said:
Point is, you don't boast about spending $100m on the R&D of a controller when it still has a particular glaring dated technology or a particular omission. At least charge less for the controller or throw in the play and charge kit for free or something. Throwing in disposable AA batteries is such a cheap skate move. We're talking controllers that cost $60 or £50!

I think many in here are just surprised they claim to have spent as much as they do, given the controller design itself.
Click to expand...

No, the point is unless you had actual data on the project you have nothing more than your own bias to go on when disputing this claim.

I also think it's laughable base this claim on omissions alone. I wouldn't dispute any claims made by any company because they didn't match everything feature by feature of a product I preferred, that's just ignorant. That's like someone else disputing how much Nintendo or Sony invested in their controller because they didn't have rumble in the triggers. That's just stupid.

Here's the thing, everything in designing these components is give and take, a series of decisions and compromises. It was no different this gen and I'm sure it'll be the same next gen. So I'm not going to fault one company for leaving something out when the other companies have also left out features. I don't say it's a cheapskate move for MS and Sony to leave out a screen because Nintendo has it, or it's a cheapskate move for Nintendo and Sony to leave out trigger rumble because MS has it. I find my preferences and just roll with it, where it seems like you pre-select your preference and downplay/troll everything else.

Again, it's a matter of preference and not even a preference that is the topic of this thread. So have fun, carry on soldier, if you wish to further defend your actions. I've made my point and I really don't wish to continue this conversation with someone who already has their mind made up over all things next gen.
 
NervousXtian said:
I don't think you understand how a company budgets R&D expenditure.

MS hasn't been holding back on investing on the gaming side of the XB1 at all.

You are pretending it's like there's some pie chart of finite funds that removes money from one side to fund another. Doesn't work like that at all.
Click to expand...
I'm pretending nothing of the sort, you're just misreading my post. I'm simply trying to put the scale of the "investment" into perspective. And trying to get past these lazy "GAF doesn't appreciate investment in gaming" arguments.
 
Phat Michael said:
You could have cut all the words out after "microsoft" and Gaf would still complain.

2 free batteries? Complain

no more DRM? Back peddling. Complain.

53mhz increase in gpu? Lol only 53! Complain.

Xbox one is near silent? Lol external power brick! Complain.

Xbox One now comes with free headset. Back peddling. Complain.
Click to expand...

lol
 
Eric_S said:
Not reusing existing in house prototyping would not unheard of, silly as it sounds. Though a CNC for a controller and a 3D printer (and what not), plus doing a sweep with the injection molds once you've ordered those, won't be THAT expensive.

If durability testing sets them back tens of millons, they should hire better test engineers.

You can literally develop entire mechatronical product lines for that kind of money. So I'm thinking they rolled in some serious infrastructure work into that R&D sticker.
Click to expand...

A whole new hardware development wing?
 
TriGen said:
It sounds like a lot, but considering they're selling each console at $500 and considering how much money MS has, I'm not terribly surprised the controller had that much invested in it. Plus, I bet a lot of those employees make good money, so with that factored in it's not that crazy.
Click to expand...


I'd imagine that they sold 100m 360 controllers last gen, so if you think that out of your $60 that you pay for the pad $1 of that is for the design.
 
Can't wait to get this bad boy for the PC, will probably hold off on the console until a truly good exclusive comes but the controller is a buy asap.
 
aaaaaa said:
$100 million, "40 new improvements", and yet the only change to the d-pad they mention is that it's lower.
Click to expand...

They said a little more than that.
The D-Pad was constructed closer to the internal motherboard, allowing for a stronger base and thus a sturdier feel, and the 'plus' shape made famous in numerous Nintendo controllers is also present (the Kyoto firm's patent on D-Pads expired in 2005).
Click to expand...
 
So it's a bad thing that MS put a lot of money into making the primary input for core games better? Isn't that exactly the thing that us gamers here on NeoGAF would like?

Should the money have went to kinect? Yeah, you guys DEFINITELY wouldn't complain about that right? (Haha...).



Simply don't see how this is a negative.
 
kaching said:
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.
Click to expand...

If this is inefficient I don't want to you know what you think of my employer's (large bank) software development expenditures (read: billions). $100m is on the high side, but I didn't bat an eyelid seeing it.
 
Phat Michael said:
You could have cut all the words out after "microsoft" and Gaf would still complain.

2 free batteries? Complain

no more DRM? Back peddling. Complain.

53mhz increase in gpu? Lol only 53! Complain.

Xbox one is near silent? Lol external power brick! Complain.

Xbox One now comes with free headset. Back peddling. Complain.
Click to expand...

And here you are complaining about the complainers
 
Kenak said:
People complain about everything on here. Come to think of it, people defend everything on here too..even rapists. Not sure what point you're trying to make, outside of the usual "HIVEMIND LOL".
Click to expand...

The point I'm making is very clear. All microsoft threads turn to shit within minutes, even if they are displaying positive changes or new information which is also positive.

The word" microsoft "in any thread title attracts posters like flies on shit and you can basically predict the first few" joke " responses about cloud, have you seen titanfall, batteries, Ryse qtes etc.

The Point is, if it's bad news, then fine. But when it's an improvement it still brings out the troll posts and no sense of impartiality. The same users come in to every thread and say the same recycled pre-planned jokes and bullshit over and over.
 
KoopaTheCasual said:
I'm sorry that your left thumb is in the wrong spot.

OT: I'm really curious about these rumble triggers on the new controller. Seems like a nice step forward that will become standard in gen 9, just like the DS4's touchpad.
Click to expand...

You're delusional if you think the touchpad will become a "standard". No one but Sony is going to touch the thing, and it'll eventually be completely forgotten unless people really prefer swiping through Netflix and the like with it.
 
Looking forward to getting my hands on this controller. I hope it is as well built as it seems and worth the cost of development.
 
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