New photos of what is believed to be the controller for the upcoming Nintendo NX console have been leaked, revealing an odd, oval design and a complete lack of face buttons.
The leak contains two high quality images showing the controller sitting on a desk alongside a Wii U GamePad, though its origins are unclear aside from it having been posted on Reddit by user perkele37. They’ve come after two similar images were leaked last week, featuring the same controller but in white, though these images are much more convincing.
Perkele37 revealed some more information regarding the alleged controller, writing:
- Only the upper ‘nubs’ of the sticks move. The bottom part is static (kind of like the circle pad, but it moves along the bottom ‘sphere’.
- The rollers on the top feel and look pretty much identical to a mouse scroll-wheel. Though I do don’t believe this will be the final design.
- Haptic feedback is feels like Apples ‘taptic’ engine. Not like regular rumble.
- 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom
This controller also falls in line with a patent filed by Nintendo back in December 2015, which adds even more credibility to the claim that they’re legitimate and that this will be the controller Nintendo is running with for its next console.
While it’s typically wise to refrain from judging a book by its cover, this alleged NX controller looks so plain weird that it’s difficult to do much else. The complete lack of face buttons, with it instead featuring a touchscreen, is a first for any modern controller, while the implementation of analog sticks that look to have more in common with the 3DS than the PS4 or Xbox One is also worrying, considering that the 3DS is uncomfortable to operate for lengthy periods of time.
Speaking of comfortability, this looks set to be another issue given that the controller looks even less ergonomic than the GamePad, which itself wasn’t easy on the hands after extended play sessions. I’m always prepared to give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt, but we already know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to controllers that actually feel good to hold in our hands, with the PS4 and particularly the Xbox One nailing this aspect of their respective controllers. If this is the NX controller, then hopefully Nintendo manages to pull it off, but consider us more than a little skeptical of it.
