Tweaked Xbox 360 controller inexplicably deemed an overseas "promotional item"

Wait, let's get this straight. We understood that the newfangled Xbox 360 controller would be limited in nature (though we never understood why), but now you're telling us that North Americans will have to get lucky on the international second-hand market to obtain one? According to information spilled to Eurogamer, that's the deal. Microsoft is reportedly loosing the pad in Europe, Asia and Latin America as a "promotional item" that ties in with Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer. Also, it's very green, and only green. We're still waiting to hear if Microsoft has plans to bring this stateside or use it to replace the existing controller entirely, but who knows, maybe the US edition will boast four analog sticks and a built-in LCD with real-time LIVE! status checking.

[Via Joystiq]

[sockatume @ Aug 20th 2008 2:44PM]

Surely the expense of setting everything up for a redesigned d-pad isn't worth it for a one-game promotional item? Maybe the improved d-pad will roll out to the rest of the range of pads afterwards.

[Stets @ Aug 20th 2008 2:55PM]

I'm guessing that the 'promotional' part is the green controller, and that the new D-pad design wills migrate to all controllers.

[Jwillicu2k @ Aug 20th 2008 2:46PM]

The green controller was brought up at E3 this year. It was said then that the green controller would go to everyone, but the US. There is a red controller that is coming stateside. Cliff Blezinski was using it at the E3 event for Gears of War 2 (there should be a picture somewhere with him and the controller).

[Flit @ Aug 20th 2008 3:01PM]

sounds like a Gears of War Limited Edition Controller coming stateside to me, with an eventual update to all controllers. The only question is, how do you fit a replica Lancer and an LTD edition controller with Gears of War2 without Steel Batallion size packaging?

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Aug 20th 2008 4:00PM]

I don't think releasing an XBox 360 controller in... RED... is a good idea :)

[Alex @ Aug 20th 2008 7:27PM]

Product (RED) Xbox 360 Controller would be sweet instead of a red GoW one... saving lives or killing bugs, hmm...

[Riley @ Aug 21st 2008 1:16AM]

yeah, but with the GoW one, you'd be doing both, you kill bugs to save lives

[Shadowise @ Aug 20th 2008 2:49PM]

I wouldn't mind an LCD screen... :D

[Lowest Ranked @ Aug 20th 2008 3:27PM]

It immediately reminded me of the Dreamcast's VMU's, novel idea with mini mazes, games, and crap you can store on it.

As for the guy below, I have no idea what he means..

[imatt @ Aug 20th 2008 2:53PM]

...why? Did M$ buy Sega or something and they decided to comp the Dreamcast controllers into new 360 pads?

[Bobs @ Aug 20th 2008 2:57PM]

My keyboard already has a screen, and could check live status i guess if i cared

[sweeks @ Aug 20th 2008 3:00PM]

They did the same thing with the original XBOX. When they reduced the size of the controller to the S-version, it was originally only for japan and when they realized it would be popular everywhere they started selling it everywhere. Although visually speaking, this is a smaller change.

[Raheem @ Aug 20th 2008 3:03PM]

Lol why would the US get all that other stuff? Someone sounds a tad jealous :P

[NoAndThen @ Aug 20th 2008 3:08PM]

clearly this soccer game is going to be more popular in foreign (non-US, sorry) countries, and probably will have some D-pad intensive controls, hence the bundle with the game.

The GoW bundle will probably be the intro of the new D-pad in the states, and it will gain a foothold with people both buying the game and those just wanting a 'limited' controller.

We'll certainly see this new D-pad in all controllers soon, WTF would MS have two separate controller fabs? Making money with consoles is hard enough.

[eiki @ Aug 20th 2008 3:14PM]

that does sound like microsoft gaming divsision, they are experts at doing things backwards whilst simulataneously doing them upside down

[Zinger314 @ Aug 20th 2008 3:15PM]

It will first be released in Chernobyl, Ukraine.

[Kev @ Aug 20th 2008 3:21PM]

Yaow yaow it's me!

[Raheem @ Aug 20th 2008 3:23PM]

Hi Kev! Welcome to Engadget!

[Ebzy @ Aug 20th 2008 3:29PM]

Serves you right for calling it soccer: It's called football, goddamit.

[Samboini @ Aug 20th 2008 5:33PM]

You correct him ono using the US term for football but end your sentence with an American word. Make your mind up.

[Patrick @ Aug 20th 2008 3:45PM]

soooo..... what exactly (aside from the gawd awful color) is the difference? i guess i don't spend enough time looking at my controller, but i don't see any change in the dpad...

[asdf @ Aug 20th 2008 3:53PM]

cant tell a difference either

[FalcomPSX @ Aug 20th 2008 5:03PM]

negative.

[pencap23 @ Aug 20th 2008 5:50PM]

lame. I wanted one.

[athend @ Aug 21st 2008 12:04AM]

k d-pad fixed now they need to build the analog sticks out of stronger material so they stop melting

[vudean @ Aug 21st 2008 9:48AM]

your linking back to a DECEMBER outage... come on.. give it up

[bali @ Aug 21st 2008 4:09PM]

you Americans can get yours when you learn how to play PES, heaoheoahae and ditch those sucky NFL games :p