Sony Patent Details Universal Controller for All Consoles
A patent filing that has recently become public hints that Sony has given serious thought to creating a universal game controller that will work for all major consoles.
Sony filed the patent with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office back in August 2008, detailing a "universal game console controller that has an LCD presenting, depending on what type of game console a user has input, a controller key layout for a first type of game console or a controller key layout for a second type of game console."
Basically, this means the controller would have a touchscreen LCD screen that could display the key configuration of any number of console controllers , which users would then tap to use. For instance, the patent describes the Xbox controller for Microsoft's console and how Sony's universal controller would emulate all its functions.
It appears that Sony wants to keep its options open, though. The patent states the controller will be able to "emulate the controllers of popular game consoles, such as, without limitation, the PlayStation made by Sony, a controller made by Nintendo, X-box game controllers made by Microsoft, Amiga CD-32 controllers, Atari Jaguar controllers, Gravis Gamepad controllers, Sega controllers, and Turbographics controllers."
That's right, this thing would even be capable of some old school gaming.
Now for a reality check. A simple patent does not mean Sony is actually going to produce a universal controller, only that the company has considered it. However, given what we know about the lucrative gaming accessories business , it is very easy to see how Sony could see big money-making opportunities in a universal controller.
