Xbox Boss Applauds PS5's DualSense Controllers

As of late, Microsoft and its Xbox division have been trying to step back from the hyper-competitiveness that once defined their relationship with the games industry. Whereas in the past, the major players were in fierce competition in what was known as the "console wars", these days, things are considerably more chilled. Nintendo functionally dropped out to do their own thing with the Wii, and while Microsoft and Sony have traded barbs every now and again, it seems those days are largely behind us.

In fact, we've reached the point where Microsoft has started actively complimenting Sony. Or at least, Xbox boss Phil Spencer did in his most recent interview with The Verge.

When the subject of the PS5 DualSense controller came up...

I applaud what they did with the controller, not actually for — well, I shouldn’t say not for the specifics of the controller, but more than just the specifics of the controller. I think for all of us in the industry, we should learn from each other and the innovation that we all push on, whether it’s distribution of business model like Game Pass, or controller tech, or the Wii back in the day, which clearly had an impact on us when we went off and did Kinect and Sony did the Move.

I think all of that innovation is something that we should all be looking at and learning and growing and saying, “Okay, what’s really going to break out and become a common part of a platform that developers and players are going to look for?” Or, “What is more vertical around a specific scenario on a specific piece of hardware?” We’re trying to be eyes open on that. For any technology, whether it’s a controller, or any VR, or anything else...

That's a healthy attitude. The games industry needs competition, it's good for us all, but market competition doesn't mean you have to pretend other consoles don't exist and do good... the way Nintendo does.

But Nintendo is off doing its own weird thing.