Sony has filed a patent for a touch-sensitive games controller that would be compatible across the current games consoles.
According to the patent, the peripheral would contain a touch-sensitive LCD screen on the front.
This screen would allow users to shape the layout of their buttons to fit whichever console they were playing - or to create a makeshift keyboard for PC control.
The patent even says the device could be tailored to work with old Amiga, Jaguar and Sega consoles.
There's one major problem with this though, touch screens simply cannot offer the precision that face buttons can, no if's, no but's they simply can't, otherwise Nintendo wouldn't have kept face buttons on the ds.
I must admit that I would prefer buttons etc. My take on the above though, would be that the touch screen panel would sit where the PSN/XBL button sits and then have the sticks/buttons in all the usual places.
If that's the case it would be a great way to map buttons, and you'd still have all of the control that you get with todays pads.
Far too much input lag would be generated from a touch screen pad, especially if it was wireless as well. Can you imagine playing Street Fighter with it? You'd get owned.
Besides, I already have a pad that works on 360, PS3, PC & Amiga. It's called a PS2 pad.
There is kind of a reason why there is no touch-screen controller out already for consoles, its because the technology and also wireless technology would be too slow.
However if you look at it at another angle, Sony have kind of blocked it off for the future. If someone wants to make a touchscreen controller and sell it with a console or something. They'd have to ask the patenters; Sony.
So they've kind of future-proofed themselves in one way. They just need to wait for the technology to grow with them now.
I don't know why Rivalry between Sony and Microsoft continues to be honest. They are both good platforms, they both offer good experiences. There is no need for both company's to go at each others face all year round.
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