Microsoft Responds To PS5 Controller Release
If one of Microsoft's latest posts on social media is anything to go by, the next gen console war may finally be heating up ever so slightly. Just yesterday, Sony unveiled the design for the DualSense, the controller for the upcoming PlayStation 5 console. Almost immediately, fans began to note passing similarities between the DualSense and the classic design aesthetics of Microsoft's Xbox series of controllers.
It appears as though Microsoft took notice of the attention the DualSense was getting on social media, as well. Just one day after the official reveal of the DualSense controller's design, Microsoft's official Xbox Twitter account posted a brand new gif of the controller for the upcoming Xbox Series X. The post features no verbiage of any kind, not even a caption. As for the gif itself, it shows off the controller from all sides, giving us yet another solid look at how the controller will look when we can finally purchase it for ourselves. It's also worth noting that we have now seen quite every inch of the Xbox Series X controller, but still have yet to see the back of the DualSense. This is why there's still some skepticism surrounding the DualSense's apparent lack of buttons on the back of the controller.
While the tweet doesn't directly mention or reference the reveal of PlayStation's DualSense design — come on. We know exactly what is going on here, don't we? Microsoft very clearly and pointedly wants to remind fans of the upcoming system, and Xbox Series X's controller design in particular. The timing couldn't possibly be a coincidence. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that Microsoft is angry about the new DualSense controller. It just seems like a friendly bit of competitive ribbing on the part of Microsoft.
After all, the two companies will be continuing the longstanding tradition of releasing consoles in the same time frame. In fact, it has been suggested that Sony is playing a bit of a "wait and see" game, watching and waiting for Microsoft to announce the Xbox Series X's release date before making a similar announcement regarding the PlayStation 5. This is likely due to the fact that the PlayStation 5 will likely cost a pretty penny when it launches, which is why Sony is hoping to get an idea of what Microsoft plans to charge for its own new console before making any further formal announcements. It almost seems like the DualSense announcement was made in an attempt to remind gamers that the PS5 was, in fact, still coming out eventually.
We already knew that fans were somewhat divided when it came to the design of the DualSense controller. Since the reveal of the DualSense, people have taken to either blasting or praising Sony for breaking the mold of their previous designs. This being the internet, a zillion memes have also sprung up surrounding the divisive controller design. While it's likely that Sony isn't seeking to infringe on Microsoft's copyright in any way, many others seem to feel like the DualSense controller design is a straight up knockoff of Microsoft's tried and true Xbox controller aesthetics.
Then again, it's clear that even the relative controversy surrounding the PlayStation 5's DualSense controller won't be swaying many loyalists on either side. The gif posted by Microsoft has already reignited the ol' "Xbox vs. PlayStation" debate all over again.
One Twitter user lists the many impressive features of the Xbox Series X controller, including cross-gen compatibility and software button re-mapping. In the comments of that post, another user makes fun of the fact that the Series X controller will still be using AA batteries for power.
A few fans were just happy to see more from the Series X's controller, with more than a few commenting on how "beautiful" they found the design to be. Some fans were particularly excited regarding the controller's "Share" button that will help gamers easily upload their play footage quickly.
As one fan tweeted, "I am definitely going to press that beautiful [Share] button 10 times each day." In other words, it seems like the die-hards already know which console they'll be going for.
The excitement of a new console generation is easy to get caught up in, but there's probably no big beef to see here. At the end of the day, this is really nothing more than a case of one company slightly poking fun at one another. Still, it's hard not to get a bit of a chuckle out of it, isn't it?