J Allard on Revolution remote

By Ellie Gibson Published 7 October, 2005

And disappointed 360 developers.

Xbox corporate VP J Allard has criticised Nintendo's "freestyle" Revolution controller, claiming that he had a similar idea which was rejected after consultation with gamers and developers.

Speaking to US website Gameinformer, Allard said the controller was "Well intentioned" but argued that he couldn't see it being used to play sports or racing games.

"I don't think most Electronic Arts games are going to be played with that thing, I think they're going to be designed for the classic controller," he added.

"Four years ago I wrote an email treaty and said, 'Why aren't accelerometers in remote controls? Why can't I scroll down my channel guide with a gesture instead of up, up, up, up?"" Allard revealed.

"We did a lot of research with gamers, talked to a lot of game developers and said, 'Should we put an accelerometer in there and do the tilt thing?' And there wasn't that much enthusiasm around it."

Allard did note that the Xbox 360 remote control features A, B, X and Y buttons, and confirmed that "You're going to be able to play casual games on Live Arcade with the remote control."

He also conceded that Nintendo could make good use of the controller in first party games, and that it could prove a hit with gamers as a result. He went on to praise Nintendo for its innovation, suggesting that Microsoft might also consider producing a simplified controller in the future.

"Remote control, that's great," Allard said. "Let's take it one step further and do a simple controller. We've talked about it. I like the idea."

But that doesn't mean Allard is sold on Nintendo's version - "I don't know if I like the implementation because it ain't my remote."

"How am I going to watch a movie on Revolution? Am I going to have a different remote than that or am I going to have to use the four colored buttons?"

Allard's comments suggest he is less keen on the Revolution controller than fellow Xbox VP Peter Moore - speaking to GamesIndustry.biz at the Tokyo Game Show last month, Moore said he wanted to "give kudos" to Nintendo, adding that he could see how the device might bring lapsed gamers back to gaming and attract new consumers.

Allard hit back at critics of Microsoft's decision to offer two versions of the Xbox 360 in a separate interview with Edge Online, claiming that the move will be welcomed by consumers.

"Consumers like choice, and it's a very pro-consumer move on our part," he told the website.

"You buy the Xbox 360 Core system, you can build up to the premium system and you won't be left out of anything along the way. You can pace into this however you want, unlike any of the traditional categories," he said, citing the iPod Shuffle as an example of a piece of technology that can't be upgraded - leaving consumers who want an iPod Photo "screwed."

"There isn't a game on 360 that you can't play without a hard drive, so I think that's a good thing for consumers. We've made a commitment to broadening the audience," Allard stated.

He went to concede that some developers may have been disgruntled to learn that not all Xbox 360 consoles would come with a hard drive as standard, telling Edge Online: " Sometimes doing the right thing means doing the hard thing."

"Are there developers who are disappointed? Yeah, sure... It was a difficult one. I was the biggest fan of the hard drive and its potential, but the problem is that we sold 22 million Xbox consoles and 5 million, maybe 10 million just don't care about it."

But Microsoft picked up the tab for those unused hard drives, Allard pointed out - which raised the question of who should pay this time around.

"We can either ask the gamer to pay for it, pay for it ourselves, or prove that there's enough value in it and have the gamer say 'I want to pay for it'," he said, adding: "I think that's the right model."

"You know, being first you sometimes get some crap, and we've had some crap," Allard concluded.

"But I think it's very pro-consumer and very pro-developer, and I think that in five years everybody will look back and say that this was a very, very good move on our part to launch worldwide and to have the flexibility for consumers to decide on their products."

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (74) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • #1 6 years ago

    Xbox corporate VP J Allard has criticised Nintendo's "freestyle" Revolution controller, claiming that he had a similar idea..

    ZOMG! So did I! 10 years ago!

  • w00t #2 6 years ago

    So did I!

    And so did my wife!

  • Derblington #3 6 years ago

    "I was the biggest fan of the hard drive and its potential, but the problem is that we sold 22 million Xbox consoles and 5 million, maybe 10 million just don't care about it."

    WHAT??????

    Well under half (or less than a quarter, depending on the figure - he doesn't seem sure himself) of the userbase didn't care, that means over half (or over three quarters) DID want the HDD, and they cut it anyway.

    Fucking idiots.

  • smelly #4 6 years ago

    Hahaha...

    Yeah.. I invented it yeaaaaaaarsss ago.. I had the idea first.. But I didnt use it.. because.. because.. erm.. because.. it.. erm.. it sucks.. yeah.. thats right.

    It's like being back at primary school.. :-)


    ". He went on to praise Nintendo for its innovation, suggesting that Microsoft might also consider producing a simplified controller in the future."

    lol.. Translation.. we'll let you take the risks.. if it's successful, we'll "borrow" the idea..


    "There isn't a game on 360 that you can't play without a hard drive"

    Erm.. hasnt square said they're releasing a game which requires it?
    Edited by 2 at 07/10/05 @ 17:34

  • ecureuil #5 6 years ago

    There is likely sufficient evidence that he did have this idea a few years back. It's not impossible that more than one person can come up with the same idea, and he would have no reason to make this whole thing up.

  • Xerx3s #6 6 years ago

    Cock & bull imo. The rev controller looks very prommissing. Although, he does have a point with the whole €A company without the originality to use it for their games. I think that there will be a lot of games that use it, but mainly 1st party games and games made by companies that think that good and original games are just as important as making profit (companies unlike €A). So most likely no €A crap on the rev, even more reason to get it imo. To be honest, the movement thing isnt that original (i mean, its original, but more or less predictable. if i recall correctly, a chap on the forums made a similar suggestion before the launch). Weve been using things like lightguns for ages. The gyroscopes and such are just the next step. A great step, but the only one that could be taken imo. (the controllers that are around now cant be improved imo, unless the replace a stick with a trackerball)
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 17:40

  • Artemus #7 6 years ago

    Xbox honchos = wankers.

  • #8 6 years ago

    Xbox corporate VP J Allard has criticised Nintendo's "freestyle" Revolution controller, claiming that he had a similar idea which was rejected after consultation with gamers and developers.

    The difference between MS and Nintendo is that the latter leads while the former follows.

    Also, what smelly says.

    That guy [Allard] needs a smack on his slaphead for being such a brazen, wannabe...

  • smelly #9 6 years ago

    "Although, he does have a point with the whole €A company"

    Realistically though.. How many of their games are worth playing anyhow? I can think of burnout, then i get stuck. :-) So hardly a big loss :-D

    "Weve been using things like lightguns for ages."

    I look at the revo controller, and i see a more-accurate-than-mouse controller. And pc games have been controlled by mice for ages. Surely this'd mean the revo is more likely to get pc ports than console ports? Then again, that's all a cetrain other console is getting anyhuws (lol).
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 17:43

  • GuiltySpark #10 6 years ago

    hmm
    i think what he said was true and pretty fair (regarding the hard drive and the controller)

    please dont hurt me

  • Teeth #11 6 years ago

    Well he didn't say anything too outlandish did he? Sounds fair to me, most of that... do simpler controllers later, for MS market there isn't much use for a tilt control in a controller, like to give people a choice about the hdd.

  • alimokrane #12 6 years ago

    I think this debate about not including the hard drive in the core system is Sooooo Pointless and EG better f***ing igonre it... Buy the BLOODY COMPLETE THING for 279.99 and ignore the 209.99 version for God's sake .... the core bundle is for idiots !!! ...

  • ProfessorLesser #13 6 years ago

    To be honest, it's only the design and implementation that Nintendo can be given credit for with this controller. Obviously, that's potentially a lot of credit, but the actual fundamental workings of the thing could've been thought up by anyone.

    But as we all know, that's not the point. The point is that Nintendo are the ones who did it, and saw a way to use it. The market will always be so much better for Nintendo's input, whether they get it right every time or not. They're not given enough credit for taking these risks, as somebody mentioned. They're called gimmicky or ridiculous, but at the end of the day, there's a chance (and a good one) that it'll be damn good fun. So get off your fucking high horses.

    And if it is fun... well done Nintendo. If it's not... well done for trying. What's next on the cards, Mr. Iwata?

  • Markusdragon #14 6 years ago

    I invented it first before you invented it first!

  • speedstars13 #15 6 years ago

    J. Allard is just jealous. Even if it was his idea, he still needs to make it possible and patent it, which he didn't. What a loser.

  • AOFanboi #16 6 years ago

    The Revolution controller is like a Columbi Egg: Anyone can do it, but one actually has to do it.

    The XBox 360's biggest drawback will be the small sized media: DVDs become too small when you have twice the resolution and power. But Microsoft apparently thought that first-to-market was more important than using HD-DVD drives. I mean, the Dreamcast beat the PS2 since it came first? Yes? No? Damn!

  • Sid-Nice #17 6 years ago

    For someone who claims 'he already thought of the idea' how the hell can't he work out how to use the controller for driving games? Or better still, not being able to work out how to use the controller to do a simple operation, like watch a mucking fovie? Allard must be one of these people who can't program a video recorder. :)

  • Mr.Small #18 6 years ago

    Hi AOFanboi ,

    What's a a Columbi Egg? I googled it and still can't work it out.

  • volb #19 6 years ago

    > 'Should we put an accelerometer in there and do the tilt thing?' And there wasn't that much enthusiasm around it.
    1) The Rev controller does 3D positioning. It's a major upgrade, as in "actually useful".
    2) I'm sorry to hear that focus groups are killing innovation. It must be so annoying.

    > How am I going to watch a movie on Revolution?
    What a disgusting thing to say.

    > I don't think most Electronic Arts games are going to be played with that thing
    Is that an attack or a compliment? I can't figure it out.

    Well, I was neutral about Allard until now. I understand his job is to be a fanboy, but this is just terribly narrow-minded. Boo.

  • StixxUK #20 6 years ago

    I don't really follow his comment about watching movies on the rev... Is he implying that by having a remote as the main controller, it's going to make it more DIFFICULT to watch DVDs?

    Big, fat WTF?

  • Mirkan #21 6 years ago

    With a headline like that it was bound to attract Nintendo supporters aching for some fanboy action.

  • Captain-nippon #22 6 years ago

    My GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER from the Qin Dynasty had the same idea to
    . I think he came up with the idea when i point his sword at someone neck and said wow this can be fun.

    Fucking idiots. What the point of saying you the ideas if you don't even use it. That does count asshole.

  • Cosmopolitan #23 6 years ago

    He used the word 'crap' two times. Is this how MS execs talk in public, given how America is supposed to be prude? Weird...

  • Sid-Nice #24 6 years ago

    I invented the Piecost.

  • bootsy_NL_30 #25 6 years ago

    I guess Allards comments just highlight the conservatism at microsoft and electronic arts...he came up with the idea...it was a good one , or so he thought....and EA and microsoft panned it.
    Nintendo supports new ideas , Microsoft buries them.....thats the vibe I'm getting from this guy and he's running the company
    (although I also have alot of reservations over that controller)

  • AOFanboi #26 6 years ago

    "What's a a Columbi Egg?"

    The story goes that Christopher Columbus, on returning from the New World, was derided by someone who said that anyone could have done it. He then took an egg, and asked the persons to make it stand on the end. They tried and failed. Columbus then took the egg and smashed its butt end lightly on the table so that it stood upright. "I could have done that," said the indignant gentleman. "Yes, but I DID it!" said Columbus.

  • captain-future #27 6 years ago

    it's his opinion and nothing more.
    the customers decide.

  • admir #28 6 years ago

    nitendo has the balls to do it and well MS dosent
    dont you people agree that its time for a new controller

    why les
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 23:19

  • Les #29 6 years ago

    That guy really is an idiot...

  • GuiltySpark #30 6 years ago

    "dont you people agree that its time for a new controller"

    only if the new games justify having a new controller

  • evak #31 6 years ago

    microsoft have a research web page on the Xwand that has been around for a few years on the net. So they did come up with the idea at some point. It's used for all kinds of stuff, mouse control of you puter, switching and dimming light switches, changing the volume etc. Pretty cool really.

  • Nikanoru #32 6 years ago

    he couldn't see it being used to play sports or racing games.

    "I don't think most Electronic Arts games are going to be played with that thing, I think they're going to be designed for the classic controller,"

    ROFL, oh jesus christ, that's so typical you'd think it came straight out of a web comic.

    Listen, Allard, I know you don't get it but that's the fucking point! It's a good thing.

  • elvenearth #33 6 years ago

    The Revolution controller can stick into a Wavebird like shell anyway, which will be included in the Revolution packaging, and can be used for more traditional 3rd party games. While in the gamepad shell the remote controller still has all its functionality and can thus be used in intruiging ways in a traditional gaming pad - to supplement the more creative ways of using the remote controller by itself. So J. Allard is just plain wrong, every type of gameplay and gameplayer will be covered in Nintendo's plans. Unfortunately even EA's generic crap will be quite playable on the Revolution...

    By the way I have sourced all of this information from IGN.com, Eurogamer also had an article which mentioned this, but not in a particularly thorough way.

  • Nikanoru #34 6 years ago

    elvenearth: I hope you do realise that the controller shell shown at IGN is just a photoshop mockup done by IGN themselves...and the article around it mostly speculation.

  • elvenearth #35 6 years ago

    "elvenearth: I hope you do realise that the controller shell shown at IGN is just a photoshop mockup done by IGN themselves...and the article around it mostly speculation."

    Yes I did realise it was a mock-up, however IGN made it quite clear that it was Nintendo themselves who had said there would be such a shell - Nintendo has merely not released any pictures of it yet. Furthermore news stories on gamespot and eurogamer itself have confirmed that Nintendo is planning to release just such a shell.

  • elvenearth #36 6 years ago

    See:

    http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=61139

  • elvenearth #37 6 years ago

    Nikanoru,
    See also this interview with Nintendo of Europe, at http://www.computerandvideogames.com/front_index.php?

    "At E3, you said that the Revolution would include ports for GameCube controllers. However, we've now heard that Nintendo intends to deliver a controller cradle housing the new input device for certain games. Is this true and does it mean you've done away with those GameCube ports since we last saw the console?

    Jim Merrick: We'll go both ways. The four ports for the GameCube controllers are still on the top, you can use your Wavebirds controllers and existing wired controllers - and that's great because if you've got GameCube games, you've probably got GameCube controllers too so there's no reason not to use them. Not only for GameCube games either - we have something called the Virtual Console which allows you to download N64 games, Super Famicom games - what am I going to do with those? NES games are obviously easy - you just flip the controller on its side and you're there. For other games, and even for today's games, we're not trying to say that the existing controller designs are not useful, there are many great games that play very well with existing controllers.

    We will offer what we call the Classic-style controller which is based on the more traditional controller - or at least as traditional as you can get in an industry that's only twenty years old. Basically, it has a hole that you slot in the free-hand controller so that brings wireless communications, rumble pack and other features and you just slot it right in there. It's an easy and presumably - I don't have any pricing yet - inexpensive way to give you another controller option. So we're really excited about having this expansion port on the controller - you start realizing there's all kinds of things we can do. One of the reasons we didn't show it at TGS though was we haven't completed the design yet - it's not completely signed off.

    There's been a lot discussions about what kind of features does it have to have to support N64 games and GameCube games and NES games, and what a third party might expect on a cross-platform controller because, let's face it, every hardware manufacturer wants third parties to write games exclusively for them and take one hundred percent advantage of what's unique on their platform - but, in reality, third parties have to write cross-platform - and there has to be some commonality between them, or at least they'd like it to make their job easier. That said, there are good examples, such as the Sims 2, which really uses the DS' unique features and it certainly is a cross-platform game."

  • brombeer #38 6 years ago

    The more Allard speaks the more ants will run away. Hasn't he noticed yet? What a nerd.

  • Ihya #39 6 years ago

    "ROFL, oh jesus christ, that's so typical you'd think it came straight out of a web comic.

    Listen, Allard, I know you don't get it but that's the fucking point! It's a good thing."

    He clearly hadn't thought that the whole fucking point of the controller was to move so far away from the derivative gameplay EA pushes out...

  • sumanai #40 6 years ago

    I would have been completely happy if Allard had just said "it sucks", but since he got wordy...

    ""Well intentioned" but argued that he couldn't see it being used to play sports or racing games" -What the? I thought that the aformentioned gamepad-addon for the Rev-controller was for these kind of things?

    "I don't think most Electronic Arts games are going to be played with that thing, I think they're going to be designed for the classic controller," --which was the point for it, not to force 'em use a control scheme that doesn't work. Also that sentence makes it feel like all 3rd party games are from EA.

    "I don't know if I like the implementation because it ain't my remote." --this is the least important I'd say, but... he doesn't like it purely because it ain't his?

    "How am I going to watch a movie on Revolution? Am I going to have a different remote than that or am I going to have to use the four colored buttons?" --I'd figure the same way you watch a movie using a gamepad (at least PS2 could do that).

    "You buy the Xbox 360 Core system, you can build up to the premium system and you won't be left out of anything along the way." --except a bunch of cash compared to going for HDD one straight away.
    "You can pace into this however you want, unlike any of the traditional categories," he said, citing the iPod Shuffle as an example of a piece of technology that can't be upgraded - leaving consumers who want an iPod Photo "screwed." --I'd imagine that if I would have bought a iPod Shuffle, I wouldn't be giving a damn about a screen anyway, not to mention about watching pictures out of one. Also with digital players you know what for and how you will be using it, there won't be a mp3 file that suddenly demands you to have screen w/ colors all of a sudden. Or 40 GB space instead of 20 GB.

    "There isn't a game on 360 that you can't play without a hard drive, so I think that's a good thing for consumers. We've made a commitment to broadening the audience," --so he's saying "all games currently work without a hard drive"? I'd be surprised if there was, I thought the 360 hasn't come out yet. Enough smart-arsing. At the very least the FFXI will be needing a hard drive, which hints that there will be more, so people might be forced pay the ridicilous price of the HDD.

    I don't know about the interest of gamers in that research, so no comment.

    But as I see it, I'm with the Penny-Arcade guys, which, as I've understood, goes like this:
    "There is no Core package."

  • Machiavel #41 6 years ago

    "How am I going to watch a movie on Revolution? Am I going to have a different remote than that or am I going to have to use the four colored buttons?"

    /bangs head on desk.

    He must be first person on this planet thinking of buying Nintendo products for their AV capabilities...

  • smelly #42 6 years ago

    Well i dont know about you.. but the first thing i think about when buying a games machine is how it's going to play movies..

    .. sigh.

  • Killerbee #43 6 years ago

    J.Allard is a cock.
    If he thinks EA games, sports game and racing games are the be all and end all of console gaming, he's sadly delusional. The fact is the Revolution remote has the potential to be the best controller for FPS games, action adventure games, platformers, flying games... and that's before you even start to think about the new ideas Nintendo will come up with.
    And losing the standard Hard Drive is undoubtedly a mistake.
    About the only thing J.Allard has confirmed with these comments is... that J.Allard is a cock.

  • GuiltySpark #44 6 years ago

    i dont see the problem with the two packages

    i mean its giving you a fucking choice for shit sake

    if there was only one package and the hard drive was gonna be released next year or something then you could be pissed off

    but as it stands its fine. if you want a hard drive. buy the premium. if you dont (or mite want one later) buy the core

    what is the fucking problem with that?

  • Ryu #45 6 years ago

    lol reading that interview, J Allard hasn't got a clue.


    and someone's riding the crimson wave it seems ^^

  • chronom4n #46 6 years ago

    a couple of things first. i think it is a good idea offering the 2 packages. i mean, say for example you are just wanting the console and a game & nothing else because of lets say...financial constraints, then you are catered for and then if you are more financially well-off then you opt for the full package. for me i would probably opt for the basic package and then later on upgrade. Having choices is always good as it does not alienate people who are in a different scenario. i mean look at the ipod, they started off with just one model, and now? there are somany versions. and they are all in different financial brackets. Ultimately, what i envisage M$ aiming for is to get a huge userbase just like Phoney have done. And that way they can make some ground up for all the tens of millions that they have lost since the inception of the 'box. But, one thing that i did notice in the article is the Allard was trying quite hard to convince everyone that this is why we did this and that. I suppose he has to sell his product. And as for the revolution controller, It is all a bit late to go around claiming that he also had an idea like that. Does he take us consumers to be stupid or what?

  • Roamer #47 6 years ago

    "...I was the biggest fan of the hard drive and its potential, but the problem is that we sold 22 million Xbox consoles and 5 million, maybe 10 million just don't care about it."

    Well, 90% of Xbox owners don't care about Live play, why didn't you drop that feature?

  • ali-uk #48 6 years ago

    Someone just got owned, didn't they Allard?

  • Kami #49 6 years ago

    Why does this make Mr. Allard sound like a whiny little tosser?

    "Oh, we had the idea first, but no-one liked it... and... and I don't like their design because I didn't think it up, and... and I hate Nintendo"

    Mr Allard, mommy needs to change your diaper...

  • Toonster #50 6 years ago

    So what if you thought it first? Nintendo was the one that was actually able to do it. Live with it.

    I also don't see how he thinks that EA games won't be played on this. Golf, baseball, tennis, hockey and the Sims would probably be ideal for the Revolution. As for racing, he obviously didn't read that IGN write-up on how the controller could be used in different genres, including racing.

    And as for that 'movie' comment.

    First of all, isn't it kind of stupid that he says this, yet the the controller looks like a DVD remote?

    And second of all... IS THAT ALL YOU CARE ABOUT!?

    Viva la Revolution and so on etc.

  • Bates #51 6 years ago

    There really is no getting away from the fact that Allard is a twat for coming out with shit like this.

    To even suggest 'he makes a fair point' and then stamp your feet about how people will 'have a go anyway' is more of the usual fanboy crap that winds people in these threads. You know that if it was Ken Kataruga saying this crap, you'd be ripping into him like there was no tomorrow.

    The hypocrisy of some of the peopl on these threads makes me sick sometimes.

  • Bursk #52 6 years ago

    Who the fuck has a single letter as their first name? Oh, I see, a dick.*

    * As in 'that bloke is a dick' not 'I see a dick'. I ain't surrounded by peni, unlike our good friend 'J', who loves the cock.

  • firefly #53 6 years ago

    Seems to me that his comments on the revolution controller pretty much sum up what's wrong with the games industry. Sure they may have come up with the idea before and they may have pitched it in market research but they did not acually implement it. Of course their research said people wouldn't go for it - if it's a theoretical arguement most people will side with the familiar over the unknown. The real challenge is to decide that an idea is worth pursuing and do so in the hopes of winning over the nonbelievers rather than simply writing it off.

    Or to paraphrase a scene from The West Wing (it may originally be a quote from somewhere else but I can't be bothered to check on that) "There are my people. I must find out where they're going so I can lead them".

  • captain-future #54 6 years ago

    his name is James Allard.

  • FooAtari #55 6 years ago

    " J.Allard is a cock.
    If he thinks EA games, sports game and racing games are the be all and end all of console gaming, he's sadly delusional. The fact is the Revolution remote has the potential to be the best controller for FPS games, action adventure games, platformers, flying games... and that's before you even start to think about the new ideas Nintendo will come up with.
    And losing the standard Hard Drive is undoubtedly a mistake.
    About the only thing J.Allard has confirmed with these comments is... that J.Allard is a cock."

    For many people i.e. your average punter EA is the be all and end all of gaming. And they are who buy the most units. Thankfully Nintendo have different values than EA and Sony and MS to.

  • jawolf #56 6 years ago

    Rant-o-matic... starting-

    If his research with gamers has the unerring accuracy of +/- 11%, I'm perplexed at how any meaningful results could be attained by any market research done by whoever MS employ.

    Maybe after showing MicroSoft's wand/shaft to them the gamers told him to put it away? There is a difference between showing a stick(hereby know as the Shaft in this post) you can move around to turn down lights and having people interact with a prototype with playable content.

    Maybe J Allard demonstrated EA's Fight Night 2K97 to the Shaft Leet User Testing (S1U7) Group where he demonstated dimming the lights of the stadium with the wand/shaft. I'm sure it would get all players juicin' at the lips (as long as those lights are rendered ever so nicely, I'm sure it would sell).

    Hey if they were advertsing and giving the shaft for free they could use the slogan:
    MicroSoft(tm) giving you a free Shaft with the XBOX 360(with the Super Premium Really Ominipotent Gold+ with HD pack).

    One company gives you a new controller that changes how games can be played (be it to your liking or not is another matter). J Allard talks up giving a Hard Disk on a console as a evolution in gaming. Poor guy, truly delusional.

    On J's fine principles of data collection:
    between 10-100% of people in this forum think J is throwing a tanty

    -Rant-o-matic... end! (I just had to... )

  • brombeer #57 6 years ago

    Allard sucks (dick).

  • mouse Verified Graphic designer, Eurogamer Network #58 6 years ago

    "I don't think most Electronic Arts games are going to be played with that thing" - Good! Keep 'em! I love how they can all be lumped into "Electronic Arts games"; it sums the company up perfectly.

    "'Should we put an accelerometer in there and do the tilt thing?' And there wasn't that much enthusiasm around it." Way to miss the point Allard. How are people supposed to give you a valuable reaction about something they have absolutely no experience of? Did you build a prototype J? Or did you simply ask a few spods in a lab 'What do you think of tilty remotes?', and get a response of 'Dunno...'?

  • Khab #59 6 years ago

    "Microsoft exec doesn't fancy new Nintendo product SHOCKER!"

  • smelly #60 6 years ago

    But.. but.. But...

    he thought of it first...

    honest!

  • captain-future #61 6 years ago

    "Eye Toy and Singstar are fantastic games"
    Allard at X05

    at least some MS execs recognise the achievements of the other companies...

  • Bitkari #62 6 years ago

    This, more than anything, shows why "gamers" cannot be trusted.

    If you ask "gamers" what they want from a game, it will be a car racing shoot-em-up starring premiership footballers on a mission to rescue buxom page three models. It will be soundtracked by Xzibit and Linkin Park, and Guy Richie will be at the launch party.

  • kebab #63 6 years ago

    "do the tilt thing"

    man, he is so hip to the jive daddio
    Edited by 3 at 09/10/05 @ 20:13

  • IronGiant #64 6 years ago

    "Who cares what a corporate guy has to say anyway? It never fails to amaze me, the amount of bile and rage this kind of comments can provoke. My gosh you guys have the mentality of 12 years old kids, or you have a secret grudge against MS and desperately want them to fail? "

    Yup, only equalled by the pillocks who spend all their time on here defending/promoting everything XBox related. It's the games thats important not whose hardware they're on.

  • Psi #65 6 years ago

    News shocker M$ hire aldridge prior hopeless liar as their PR guy. When cornered he replied "Leonard Nimoy's my dad"

    my my Mr Jallard you're out of your tit's mate. Bet you thought of the Nintendo glove too but before nintendo! yes and you sent emails out to people about your prototype made with a sock didn't you......

    Using Electronic Arts as an example, dear god you loon! Or are you being clever? As if anyone here had sited that as an example they would expect to be met with "lol" "omg lol EA!!" etc. So you must either be having a laugh or really out of touch with the gaming public...

  • drumbaby #66 6 years ago

    Buy the BLOODY COMPLETE THING for 279.99 and ignore the 209.99 version for God's sake .... the core bundle is for idiots !!! ...

    Msoft catering for idiots...whatever next?

  • old_skool #67 6 years ago

    Reading through these comments you would think that the Revolution controller is akin to the 2nd coming , to convert the masses to the new form of gaming and everyone singing praises ( Hullaluyah ! ) of joy and peace . But I think it is time to sober up to reality and put things in perspective .
    The most important feature of the new controller is motion sensor .Not that it hasn't been done before but now it will be standard.

    Now I'm going to ask the big Question :
    "Just how will it change gaming as we know it ?
    Does it Change the gameplay or is it is it merely another way of doing the same thing ?

    Lets sum things up :

    +Controller is in effect a dpad, bat, streering wheel, fishing rod, sword, gun rolled into one device.
    +Could be put into more creative uses
    -Now mind that might sound but some devices will just work better like specialy designed steering wheels
    -Consumers and devs might shun it
    +Additional port for traditional controller
    -Extra cost to console owners , possible more dev time catering to other control scheme
    +New modes of gameplay.Now this might be contentious as I don't consider doing the same thing in a different way as revolutionary.
    -No software to show revolutionary ideas
    +Motion sensor , wireless.
    -Could possibly be bad for fast paced games
    +Simplistic design , less buttons . Good for casual gamers
    -Alienate hardcore(well there is the extra port but as stated above that has a minus component)
    -Not ergonomic, might give rise to fatigue.

    I'm rather cautiosly optimistic . The controller looks like a jack of all trades, but I can see some types of games will be more/less suited to it than others.It seems more evolutionary than anything revolutionary at the moment ( untill we have some software that uses it in unique ways and not as an alternative form of control ).
    That being said , we have to wait for games before any judgement can be passed.

    /waits for fanboy backlash

  • smelly #68 6 years ago

    "old skool".. yeah.. but J thought of it first..

  • Tonka #69 6 years ago

    I actually think that EA will be quite interested in some of the Revolution controllers features. They have implemented anolouge stick controll in their golf and boxing games. These two types of games are suited for the Revolution controller. Just imagine playing fight night with one wand clutched in each hand. That would make me consider buying tha game. Just for the novelty of it. That said, I'm a bit more sceptical to the wand-becomes-golf-club idea...

  • tengu #70 6 years ago

    Tifa isn't in FFXI.

  • Fatfish #71 6 years ago

    LeDilettante - I have to admit (in shame) that I too have found myself tilting the controller whilst playing Burnout Revenge! This I find most strange as I have been playing games for nearly 20 years now and have never suffered from it before. So why only on Burnout Revenge? What I have noticed is it only happens when I try to ram/shunt someone off the road - not during normal steering/driving around the track. Perhaps it's a subconcious effort to try and put greater emphasis on the action of attacking a competitor. Either way, I can see your point about the revolution controller - although as I've admitted before, I'm still not entirely convinced on the dual-wield design. Using a normal 2 handed controller, you are able to counter the action of one hand by applying pressure from the other - so when you push a direction on the stick, your opposite hand pushes against it and therefore provides greater stability and control in the controller. Surely with one hand, this will become a lot less stable and precise? I guess we'll have to wait and see - I won't write it off just yet!

  • daveo #72 6 years ago

    Gyration technologies which nintendo invested in a few years back (and which I suspect the core tech of the new controller comes from) makes the wireless mice and keyb's which are used in my company conference rooms. The mouse has a little button on the bottom which, when pressed, allows you to manipulate the cursor on the screen by waving your arm around.

    I have used this extensively over the past year and would suggest that whilst interesting to use does throw up a a few problems.
    My hand movements aren't accurate enough to easily locate an area of the windows screen and then press a mouse button with another finger without moving the cursor off target.
    I find myself having to rest my arm on my leg in order to afford an element of stability.
    I cant imagine using this for several hours without an element of strain being involved as waving one arm around in front of you is not a natural position to be in unless you are Magnus Pike.

    I know that this kit isn't the same as the revolution controller but it is based on a similar technology / concept. And before the fanboys pile in I consider myself to be console neutral owning virtually all the mainstream consoles of the past 30 odd years, and I want to see this stuff work but I am yet to be convinced.

  • Mho7276501 #73 6 years ago

    i came up with the idea of pointless corporate wankers who have the intelligence of spoilt children and generally say stupid fucking things whenever they get the chance.

    I am more than happy with the Allard model, i couldnt have hoped for a bigger rating with my What A Twat focus group.

  • Senor_Sanchez #74 6 years ago

    I dont see the point in slating someone elses concepts like J Allard has. Microsoft have chosen their route for the people that identify with the Xbox. The Nintendo Revolution looks very interesting, very very progressive but hopefull not too absract a concept for the general masses. If it has software to macth its innovative controller then it really could be revolutionary. But it has to have the software. Xbox360 is nothing revolutionary but will have software that suits the platform (not knocking any games but you know what i mean...)

    Be interesting to see what happens. My belief is that Nintendo will have some really terrific internal stuff and upper average to worse third party stuff for launch. Xbox360 looks alrigh but nothing to go wowee!!!!....and certainly no reason to resort to handbags at ten paces.
    Edited by 1 at 11/10/05 @ 13:29