Microsoft Dumps old stock on Unsuspecting Gamers? Again?

You’ve barely started to build up dirt in the seams of your Limited Edition Halo:Reach controller, and now it is obsolete…

You definitely need to check out Major Nelson’s video, I lol’ed at how nonchalantly he talks about community feedback about the crappy original d-pad, like it hasn’t been a constant complaint since the 360 launched five years ago.

The new controller sports a chrome d-pad and Xbox Guide button, along with new transparent white and grey face buttons, throwing out the traditional red/green/blue/yellow color scheme. This will work great for all those games that have Quick Time Events… The button/color combos should be ingrained into most veteran gamers by now, but this could cause a slight hesitation for new gamers, or as time passes playing without colored buttons.

The d-pad rotates 90 degrees, raising or lowering a disc surrounding the plus. This lets the d-pad function like the crappy d-pad 360 has had for the last five years, or as an actual “plus” d-pad, which is more accurate and should eliminate cross-signaling. Larry (Major Nelson) also mentions the concave analog sticks, so there may be a slight change there as well.

Just like with the now obsolete 64, 256, and 512MB 360 Memory Units, the original Xbox 360 controllers are now outdated. This includes the recent Halo:Reach controller, and the yet to be released Fable III controller. It’s almost like they thought “Hey, we’ve got all these parts for the old controllers. Let’s paint them, sell them at a premium to our most loyal customers, and THEN announce the improved controller”. Microsoft is further profiteering by offering the new controller only in a Play-N-Charge combo, at a price of $64.99

This should have launched (and been included) with the Xbox 360 Slim and Halo Reach bundle…How about a cheap retro-fit kit, Microsoft?

From majornelson.com:

We’ve just made the Xbox 360 Wireless controller even better with a brand new version that includes a transforming D-pad. The engineers have come up with an ingenious solution with a d-pad that can go from a plus to a disc with the twist of the wrist.

From this:

To this instantly:

Here is a video that shows how it work:

In addition to the new d-pad, the matte silver controller also features concave analog sticks and gray A,B,X,Y buttons for added style.

The controller will only be available with the new Play & Charge Kit that will launch on November 9th for US $64.99.

More photos on my flickr

If you are headed to PAX Prime this weekend in Seattle, drop by the recording of my LIVE Podcast on Sunday where I’ll have a few of these controllers to give away for free.

Edit: It’s now up on Xbox.com

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