[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.