[illumin8]

This has been mentioned before, but by simply using colored circles for their controller buttons, they are ignoring the needs of a lot of color blind gamers. This is why every console manufacturer has symbols on the buttons. Color coding doesn't work so well when a significant percentage of your players can't differentiate between green and red.

This could be solved very easily by picking some symbols to go along with the colors. Of course, our patent and trademark laws are ridiculous and it's highly likely that Microsoft has already patented the letters X, Y, A, and B...

[aiham]

They state at the bottom of the post:

"P.S. We're still deciding on the buttons. For now, we've stuck with the colored circles as placeholders. But don't fret, we won't leave out colorblind gamers. :)"

[fhars]

Not only has it been mentioned before, it is clearly described in the article as an interim solution that will be relaced by something accessible to coulorblind people in the final design.

[randomdrake]

Seems like a no-brainer to use: O, U, Y, A.

[bdz]

there will be letters. and yes, O, U, Y, A. http://cdn2.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/4547820/ouya2_ga...

[paulhodge]

Funny story, an early version of the OnLive controller used the letters L,I,V,E, which spelled EVIL when read a certain way.

http://9to5google.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/onlive_control...

[slantyyz]

>> Microsoft has already patented the letters X, Y, A, and B..

Wouldn't Nintendo (Super Nintendo), Sega (Genesis and forward) et al. have prior art on this? Microsoft was far from the first to use those letters.

[teamonkey]

Designmarked, not patented I believe. So the green A, red B, blue X, yellow Y are owned by Microsoft. Sony have the circle, triangle, square and cross.

In terms of patents, Nintendo have the cross-shaped D-pad, Sony have the segmented d-pad and Microsoft are left with the awful spongy rocker pad.

[wreckimnaked]

> This could be solved very easily by picking some symbols to go along with the colors. Of course, our patent and trademark laws are ridiculous and it's highly likely that Microsoft has already patented the letters X, Y, A, and B...

That'd be a shame. X, Y, A and B sounds more Super Nintendo than Xbox.

[arthurbrown]

>> ... it's highly likely that Microsoft has already patented the letters X, Y, A, and B...

Nintendo and Sega have both used this scheme since SNES / Dreamcast respectively (as well as Nintendo DS).