Evolution of game controllers

Posted: May 13th, 2008 | 79 Comments »

Recently, I’ve been involved in a research project about game controllers, comparing different peripheral (gestural or not). This led me to investigate the evolution of game controller over time, a topic already addressed by others.

For instance, Damien Lopez made this insightful mapping (.pdf) for both consoles and portable systems:

Game controller 1

Game controller 2

Lopez describes this map as a “a collection of small multiples of game controllers of the main gaming systems from the past 25 years (..,) normalized, and the hands are all approximately the same size as each other, and thus the controllers all to scale“. His point was “to show the progression of controller design throughout the last quarter-century. With the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System, no more number pads were used on game controllers from that point on“.

On Sock Master, there is also a tree-based representation that tries to connect all the current console controllers with their predecessors. What is interesting here is the notion of diachronic evolution as well as the connection between different “families”.
Game controller 3

Why do I blog this? working on the user experience of game controller for different research projects, this kind of representation are important as they map the existing peripherals as well as show how the possibilities evolved over time. It’s overall interesting to note the relative stability in both portable and console shapes but the increasing complexity of controllers. Although sticks remains stable, the number of buttons increases. It would interesting to see how the user experience evolved over time too and see how it’s related with the interface. I need to dig more these graphics and draw some implications about what that means.

79 Comments on “Evolution of game controllers”

  1. 1 manu said at 5:50 pm on May 13th, 2008:

    the assertion “With the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System, no more number pads were used on game controllers from that point on” is actually not true, as you can see on the second image. The Atari Jaguar, first 64bit console if I remember well, had a numpad :-D

  2. 2 Nicolas Nova said at 7:48 pm on May 13th, 2008:

    That’s why putting the two classification next to each other is relevant ;)

  3. 3 etienne said at 11:06 am on May 14th, 2008:

    Interesting classification, have you checked the Tina Blaines NIME 05 paper on game controllers and music controlers ? There is a fine comparison of the relation between the player and the peripheral, in the game and music activities…

  4. 4 Infovore » links for 2008-05-15 said at 1:31 am on May 16th, 2008:

    [...] Pasta&Vinegar » Blog Archive » Evolution of game controllers “This led me to investigate the evolution of game controller over time, a topic already addressed by others.” Some nice, detailed graphical analysis of the mess that is controller design over the years. (tags: games interface hci interaction interactiondesign joypad play) [...]

  5. 5 Evolutionary History of Game Controllers - Small Surfaces said at 5:46 pm on May 20th, 2008:

    [...] Evolution of Game Controllers” [...]

  6. 6 The evolution of gadget design said at 3:42 pm on June 17th, 2008:

    [...] up, evolving video-game controllers. Nicholas Nova blogged two attempts (one pictured left, click to enlarge, made by Damian Lopez) to chart the [...]

  7. 7 Evolution der Spielsteuerung | interactionism.us - interactionism - interaktionismus - - - Jochen Flohrschuetz said at 11:57 pm on July 23rd, 2008:

    [...] Interaktionsdesigner Nicolas Nova hat sich mit der Entwicklung der Spielsteuerung, seit bestehen von Videospielen, befasst. Sein [...]

  8. 8 Sala de Jogos » Blog Archive » A evolução dos controles de videogame said at 3:23 am on July 25th, 2008:

    [...] Pra quem nasceu nos anos 1980, vai gostar dessa: Evolution of game controllers. [...]

  9. 9 Tony Tulathimutte said at 7:19 pm on September 15th, 2008:

    Interesting! I wrote my honors thesis on the design of game controllers, so you may find it… useful?:

    http://www.gamasutra.com/education/theses/20051111/thulatimutte_01.shtml

  10. 10 links for 2008-09-15 at freaky.be said at 8:36 pm on September 15th, 2008:

    [...] Evolution of game controllers (tags: design games interface) [...]

  11. 11 links for 2008-09-15 « Kaigani’s Arbor Vitae said at 6:05 am on September 16th, 2008:

    [...] Pasta&Vinegar » Blog Archive » Evolution of game controllers (tags: interaction games interactiondesign controller) Posted by kaigani Filed in Uncategorized [...]

  12. 12 A evolução dos games - Super A Fim said at 6:01 pm on September 27th, 2008:

    [...] via (Pasta&Vinager) [...]

  13. 13 Evolução dos controles de video games. | Vivendo e aprendendo sempre... said at 5:31 pm on October 2nd, 2008:

    [...] Achei no “Saber é bom demais…“, depois li no “Super A Fim” e depois no “Pasta&Vinegar” [...]

  14. 14 Pasta&Vinegar » Blog Archive » Game controllers evolution and game design said at 5:39 pm on October 7th, 2008:

    [...] traces the history of video-game controllers. A good read in conjunction with my earlier post about this very topic. What is relevant in that paper is the second part of the issue: how the [...]

  15. 15 La evolución en el uso de los mandos de videoconsola said at 9:22 am on October 10th, 2008:

    [...] | Pasta&Vinegar En VidaExtra | La excesiva complicación de los mandos de videoconsola En VidaExtra | Las 10 [...]

  16. 16 meneame.net said at 3:50 pm on October 10th, 2008:

    Evolución de los mandos a lo largo del tiempo…

    Curioso artículo que nos muestra la evolución de los mandos de las consolas a lo largo del tiempo. La diferente evolución de la ergonomía…

  17. 17 Venom said at 4:04 pm on October 13th, 2008:

    You forgot the dreamcast predecessor and first analog control ever, the Sega Saturn Analog gamepad exclusive for the “Nights into dreams” game it does look like dreamcast’ one though take care GREAT LIST!!!

  18. 18 CJW said at 10:00 pm on December 7th, 2008:

    You forgot the TurboExpress, the full featured TurboGrafix console in a handheld:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TurboExpress

    This article lists a couple of others that missed your list including the NeoGeo:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handheld_game_console

  19. 19 chewing pixels » Control Freak said at 1:13 pm on December 8th, 2008:

    [...] I found the interface charts at LIFTlab where their design is attributed to Damien [...]

  20. 20 Evolution of Game Controllers | Yeeeeee said at 2:07 am on December 9th, 2008:

    [...] Lopez describes this map as a “a collection of small multiples of game controllers of the main gaming systems from the past 25 years [...]

  21. 21 Clement said at 10:23 am on December 9th, 2008:

    You can alsa wears this kind of graph :
    http://www.nerdyshirts.com/family-tree-t-shirt.html

  22. 22 Game Reader said at 6:20 pm on December 9th, 2008:

    [...] evolution of game controllers. « Before The Convergence of Everything December 4, [...]

  23. 23 bubbadubalous said at 6:20 pm on December 9th, 2008:

    Where’s the Intellivision controller!!!???!!!!

    Shoddy work from Damien Lopez, if that is his real name….

  24. 24 [ T ] 空 之 城 - 看看你握过几种手把、携带式游戏机 said at 8:25 am on December 10th, 2008:

    [...] 引用来源 | 此文章网址 | 转寄此文章 | 回应 [...]

  25. 25 看看你握过几种手把、携带式游戏机 | isoWorld 爱 秀 网 络 The isoWorld of Asia said at 1:33 pm on December 10th, 2008:

    [...] 引用来源 | 此文章网址 | 转寄此文章 | 回应 [...]

  26. 26 /gamer » Blog Archive » History of Video Game Controllers and Handhelds said at 6:38 am on December 16th, 2008:

    [...] source [...]

  27. 27 The Game Cast » Blog Archive » Istoria gamepad-urilor în imagini said at 10:09 am on December 16th, 2008:

    [...] [Liftlab.com] [...]

  28. 28 Shadowed said at 11:31 am on December 16th, 2008:

    You forgot the PS3 controller. Please add.

  29. 29 Orionsaint said at 11:32 am on December 16th, 2008:

    Wow! He really skipped Intellivision?, but put the Sega Master System controller, which isn’t much of an evolution from the NES gamepad, maybe a de-evoltion. The Intellivision controller is very important. It’s the precursor to the d-pad. The first time a system featured a controller where you have to only use your thumb, to control objects on screen, not having the Intellivision controller is Blasphemy! A BIG mistake and makes this evolution chart rubbish! Unless he goes back and fixes it? I’m just curious, how old is Daniel Lopez? No one under 30 should make charts like this, unless you were there.

  30. 30 Ben W said at 12:38 pm on December 16th, 2008:

    You seem to have forgotten the Xbox Guide button. If you include that, then every Xbox controller should have +1 button (or “option” if you prefer).

  31. 31 Technology said at 1:06 pm on December 16th, 2008:

    [...] Evolution of game controllers [Lift Think, via Offworld] [...]

  32. 32 dz nutz said at 4:42 pm on December 16th, 2008:

    Hey, the PSP has ’1 Stick’ too.

  33. 33 Adjel said at 4:49 pm on December 16th, 2008:

    I notice in Daniel Lopez’s portable systems, he left out what I feel are some interesting attributes: B&W versus color, and back-lighting. I think these attributes, are what really make some of those systems stand apart from one another in their evolution in conjunction with their button and function designs.

  34. 34 Joystick-uri » IronMAN said at 10:46 pm on December 16th, 2008:

    [...] O mica istorie ilustrata a dispozitivelor de control folosite pentru jocuri (Joystick-uri si Gamepad-uri). Aici. [...]

  35. 35 Evolution of Game Controllers | GEMAGA.COM said at 11:43 pm on December 16th, 2008:

    [...] Read More [...]

  36. 36 jordanlund said at 12:42 am on December 17th, 2008:

    Interesting what got missed…

    I’d suggest adding “rumble” as a feature.

    Also he’s missing the original Playstation controllers.

    First one had no analog sticks:
    http://www.jwnyc.com/games/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/psx04.jpg

    Second one had analog sticks, but no rumble:
    (Note the concave tops on the sticks)
    http://www.axess.com/twilight/console/detail/psx_a.jpg

    Then they did the dual shock that passed to the PS2.

    Then the PS3 took the rumble back out (after losing a lawsuit) and did the SixAxis.

  37. 37 jordanlund said at 12:42 am on December 17th, 2008:

    Oh, and the PSP has an analog stick below the D-Pad.

  38. 38 Easy as Pi » Your Handy Guide To Controller Evolution [Art] said at 6:08 pm on December 17th, 2008:

    [...] Evolution of game controllers [Lift Think, via Offworld] [...]

  39. 39 iKaoRou 爱烤肉·爱生活 » “手柄控” said at 8:24 pm on December 17th, 2008:

    [...] I found the interface charts at LIFTlab where their design is attributed to Damien [...]

  40. 40 lewis dean said at 10:19 pm on December 17th, 2008:

    how fucking sad are you people???
    :S

  41. 41 Mithc said at 12:50 am on December 18th, 2008:

    FUCK THIS CHART! NO INTELLIVISION! May the SNAFU and Astrosmash gods reign down a mighty storm upon you!

  42. 42 Pushing Play» Blog Archive » Know Your History With This Controller Evolution Chart said at 7:57 pm on December 18th, 2008:

    [...] [Source] Share and Enjoy: [...]

  43. 43 tactilicio.us » Drawings of video game interfaces said at 6:07 am on December 21st, 2008:

    [...] (via Pasta&Vinegar) [...]

  44. 44 The Evolution of the Console Controller « XSp. said at 11:13 pm on December 21st, 2008:

    [...] LiftLab via [...]

  45. 45 Gamer News 12.21.08: Hey, Did You Hear… | The Hardcore Gamer said at 6:37 am on December 22nd, 2008:

    [...] mapped out the evolution of the video game controller? A researcher and blogger at Pasta&Vingear was involved in a project that included mapping out the progression of the console controller from [...]

  46. 46 Evolution of Game Controller | Meet Joe's Blog said at 9:36 am on December 22nd, 2008:

    [...] ข้อมูลเพิ่มเติม [Evolution of Game Controllers : Damien Lopez] [...]

  47. 47 Evolución de los controles de videojuegos en Il Maistro, blog de tecnologia said at 3:37 pm on December 24th, 2008:

    [...] multidireccional, 7 botones y un sensor de movimiento (que tal diferencia). Pueden ver más en Pasta & Vinegar. Etiquetas: controlador mando [...]

  48. 48 La evolución de los controles de videojuegos | CCCDigital S.A - Blog said at 11:49 pm on December 25th, 2008:

    [...] Bueno aqui les dejo una imagen donde le muestra la interesante evolucion de los controles de video juegos, desde los viejos “joysticks” con su clásica “palanquita” y único botón, hasta el avanzado Wii Mote con 1 control multidireccional, 7 botones y un sensor de movimiento (que tal diferencia). bueno aqui pueden ver La evolucion de los sistema portables…. [...]

  49. 49 EVula said at 10:59 pm on December 26th, 2008:

    Er, the Xbox 360 had a couple of additional buttons versus the “X-Box New” controller (I’d call them two additional shoulder buttons). You might also want to consider the overall Xbox button (in the center), since I think you’re counting the Wii’s Home button on the Arcade controller.

  50. 50 MEP said at 12:59 am on December 27th, 2008:

    I think you missed an important step by ignoring the distinction between shoulder buttons and analog triggers. Anyone who remembers playing the cart load of great racing games on the Dreamcast will tell you that shoulder buttons and analog triggers are completely different things. It would pretty clearly put the Dreamcast’s controller ahead of the PS2′s evolutionarily speaking even though the PS2 craptroller came out later (it was basically a half-baked and incredibly fragile rehash of the PSX controller anyway which was more impressive when it was first released).

  51. 51 David said at 1:38 am on December 27th, 2008:

    Doesn’t the Xbox 360 have 4 shoulders?

  52. 52 Gravitron said at 4:54 am on December 27th, 2008:

    You should also include the Apple iPhone/iPod touch. Accelerometer and touch screen, no buttons.

  53. 53 Rattyuk said at 6:06 am on December 27th, 2008:

    Nice… But where is the iPhone / iPod Touch?

  54. 54 Doug said at 4:55 pm on December 27th, 2008:

    I was surprised at the omission of the Konix Speedking
    Probably the first controller actually designed to the contours of the hand.

    I googled it to try and check it’s date of introduction.
    I didn’t find the date but I am fairly sure it came out in the late eighties.

    More interestingly I found an interview on http://www.konixmultisystem.co.uk with Wyn Holloway about the Konix Slipstream which truly was a revolutionary controller.

    Check it out at the link above.

  55. 55 Mike said at 5:04 pm on December 27th, 2008:

    Where are all the great, classic Computer-Gamecontrollers like the Competition Pro or the Quickshot II Series?

  56. 56 instig8r said at 9:47 pm on December 27th, 2008:

    You forgot the iPhone in the portable category. But maybe that’s a category all unto itself, it’s so far beyond anything here.

  57. 57 benxamin said at 4:11 pm on December 30th, 2008:

    I agree with Orionsaint: the SEGA Master System controller was a step backwards. So much so, that you could plug it into an Atari console and it would work! Tossed the joysticks. Waaaay easier to play Asteroids with a D-pad.

  58. 58 phuljari.com » Blog Archive » Your Handy Guide To Controller Evolution [Art] said at 10:00 am on January 3rd, 2009:

    [...] Evolution of game controllers [Lift Think, via Offworld] [...]

  59. 59 greg woods said at 8:11 pm on January 8th, 2009:

    Hi,

    Another interesting thing worth investigating is how the evolution of the controller will impact on the dexterity of the user? Maybe all those new buttons will require us to grow more thumbs in time!

  60. 60 Evolution of game controllers « Nicola D’Antrassi said at 10:32 pm on January 10th, 2009:

    [...] http://www.liftlab.com/think/nova/2008/05/13/evolution-of-game-controllers/ [...]

  61. 61 Evolution of Game Controllers | Arcade-Junkies.com said at 4:00 pm on January 14th, 2009:

    [...] You can see the full article here. [Pasta&Vinegar] Bookmark and Share: sociallist_99158f04_url = ‘http://arcade-junkies.com/2009/01/evolution-of-game-controllers/’; sociallist_99158f04_title = ‘Evolution of Game Controllers’; sociallist_99158f04_text = ”; sociallist_99158f04_tags = ”; [...]

  62. 62 Gaming Evolution : The Shiny Swine said at 5:41 pm on February 21st, 2009:

    [...] Pasta & Vinegar has some information, though mainly these wonderful pictures of the progression of gaming controllers over the years. [...]

  63. 63 עדכוני מערכת #1 « Shenkar Interaction Design said at 12:43 pm on March 12th, 2009:

    [...] לבלוג שמשתמש בכלי הזה הוא פסטה וחומץ שמפרסם ניקולס, אנטרופולוג שמישות [...]

  64. 64 buzzup.com said at 11:56 am on April 6th, 2009:

    Evolution of game controllers…

    Recently, I’ve been involved in a research project about game controllers, comparing different peripheral (gestural or not)….

  65. 65 Game Training Volume 1: Dexterity: XNPlay said at 2:00 am on July 13th, 2009:

    [...] 4 directions and a fire button. Now? Count those buttons on the 360 pad folks. Dumbing down? I fear we’ve increased the complexity manyfold over the years and with scant exception it’s showing no sign of breaking. At least not whilst we’ve [...]

  66. 66 D i s e ñ o I n d u s t r i a l : Venezuela » Consolas: evolución de la gestualidad said at 6:04 pm on November 7th, 2009:

    [...] Desde que los productos pasaron de ser electromecánicos e incorporar la electrónica en el manejo de sus fuciones, el “control” ha sido un elemento fundamental en su relación con los usuarios. La idea de manejar remotamente un dispositivo se convirtió, no solamente en un aspecto fundamental para la generación de valor en los objetos, sino que se abrió un espacio para el desarrollo de nuevas fomas de interactuar y entender las actividades. Me pareció interesante este ejemplo de la evolución de las consolas para juegos, realizada por la gente de LiftLab en Suiza, porque se puede entender el proceso que involucra la mutación de las formas y las mudanzas en la gestualidad. Especialmente, el uso extensivo de dispositivos de esta naturaleza crearán patrones gestuales que podrán ser aprovechados para el manejo de otro tipo de productos. Cambiarán los modelos mentales que se tienen sobre el uso de ciertos mecanismos y procesos. vía Pasta&Vinegar [...]

  67. 67 The Frozen Gnome » Blog Archive » Breakfast Topic: Fancy meeting you here said at 3:00 pm on February 18th, 2010:

    [...] no real way to identify them. Whether it’s a hoodie, a sticker on a car, or someone making the familiar mouse and keyboard hand motions when mentioning they play video games, there’s a peculiar thread that connects the millions [...]

  68. 68 Breakfast Topic: Fancy meeting you here « Sto « Best Mmorpgs Blog said at 3:16 pm on February 18th, 2010:

    [...] no real way to identify them. Whether it’s a hoodie, a sticker on a car, or someone making the familiar mouse and keyboard hand motions when mentioning they play video games, there’s a peculiar thread that connects the millions [...]

  69. 69 [Get Control] « Diario de una Agrupación Celular said at 11:01 pm on March 21st, 2010:

    [...] Visto en… Escrito en [nordicwarrior]Tags: Curiosidades, Friki [...]

  70. 70 Technostalgie… ou pas | traffic-internet.net said at 10:46 am on August 24th, 2010:

    [...] la console de mixage numérique qui garde la nostalgie de la complexité des consoles physiques, ou des contrôleurs de jeux qui évoluent tout en gardant des caractéristiques communes… La technostalgie c’est [...]

  71. 71 Technostalgie… ou pas | traffic-internet.net said at 10:46 am on August 24th, 2010:

    [...] la console de mixage numérique qui garde la nostalgie de la complexité des consoles physiques, ou des contrôleurs de jeux qui évoluent tout en gardant des caractéristiques communes… La technostalgie c’est [...]

  72. 72 CELIC » Technostalgie… ou pas said at 11:12 pm on August 25th, 2010:

    [...] la console de mixage numérique qui garde la nostalgie de la complexité des consoles physiques, ou des contrôleurs de jeux qui évoluent tout en gardant des caractéristiques communes… La technostalgie c’est quand la [...]

  73. 73 xXburekXx said at 4:04 am on October 12th, 2010:

    its kind of ironic how the controller has gone from small little one button controllers, to ones that look like a calculator, to one like the n64 or dream cast that a massive and awkward, and now they are getting smaller and more like the nes/SNES controllers

  74. 74 Evolução dos controles de video-games | Felipe Spina on Blog said at 3:32 pm on January 17th, 2011:

    [...] Evolução dos controles de video-games via liftlab.com [...]

  75. 75 ANTONIO said at 3:10 am on April 11th, 2011:

    AND THE CONTROLL OF THE GAME CUBE ?

  76. 76 Oczy W Pikselach said at 2:29 pm on April 25th, 2011:

    [...] Ciekawie prezentuje się przegląd kontrolerów do gier video stworzony przez Damiena Lopeza. [...]

  77. 77 Level Select » Blog Archive » Evolution of game controllers said at 12:41 pm on June 9th, 2011:

    [...] (Found over @ Liftlab.com) [...]

  78. 78 Pasta&Vinegar » Blog Archive » More game controllers evolution charts said at 9:04 am on September 8th, 2011:

    [...] the first that caught my eyes several years ago is the following one by Sock [...]

  79. 79 Evolução dos Controles de Games | NewsErrado said at 11:02 pm on November 9th, 2011:

    [...] inutilidades e lift Posts Relacionados05/11/2011 — ABC do Videogame (0)25/03/2011 — Links da semana (19-25/03) [...]

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