AfterDawn: Tech news

Microsoft sues Datel over third-party Xbox 360 controllers

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 02 Apr 2010 4:22 User comments (23)

Microsoft sues Datel over third-party Xbox 360 controllers Microsoft has sued UK-based accessory maker Datel this week over its Xbox 360 controllers, claiming the company illegally copied the design.
The controllers in question are the Datel "TurboFire" and "WildFire" wireless controllers, which sell for $40 USD online. Microsoft says the controllers infringe on a few patents held by the software giant.

Microsoft is seeking monetary damages, royalty payments, or a portion of profits from past sales. Microsoft is also seeking an injunction.

Turbofire controller:

Previous Next  

23 user comments

12.4.2010 16:51

i assume that they havent found a way to block 3rd party controllers via FW like they did with the Memory cards.

22.4.2010 16:52

OK OK This has gone Looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong ENOUGH Microsoft I am definitely not purchasing not buying a 360 You guys KILLED me getting the console ultimately. First suing Datel for the Memory cards then Sony suing them for the Pandora Battery thing NOW FOR CONTROLLERS? NO WAY THIS HAS GONE LONG ENOUGH Microsoft is I hate to say this, their trying to censor everyone else from making ANYTHING so what now is Microsoft going to sue people who make accessories for them now? I mean seriously this bull shit needs to end

32.4.2010 16:58

This looks like the offspring of a PS3 and XBox 360 controller.

42.4.2010 17:26

Microsoft is only protecting their IP.
"ENOUGH Microsoft I am definitely not purchasing not buying a 360 You guys KILLED me" they are not gonna miss ya bud :D
these were wireless controllers which microsoft has a lock on so that companies like this arent making a bunch of shit wireless controllers, they can make wired controllers all day and night if they paid for the rights. this is essentially piracy for profit, if you circumvent their protections on wireless syncing on your own time so be it, but selling these online for profit is a big dumbass sign on that companies CEO's forehead. if you think microsoft is hurting you by sueing them you're dumb those controllers are garbage and essentially the same price as the real ones if you shop around a bit and catch the deals on amazon i remember i seen microsoft wireless controllers for $42. just be glad M$ is taking these off the shelves before you get one for christmas or some crap from a shitty aunt :D

52.4.2010 18:12

Originally posted by Hopium:
Microsoft is only protecting their IP.
"ENOUGH Microsoft I am definitely not purchasing not buying a 360 You guys KILLED me" they are not gonna miss ya bud :D
these were wireless controllers which microsoft has a lock on so that companies like this arent making a bunch of shit wireless controllers, they can make wired controllers all day and night if they paid for the rights. this is essentially piracy for profit, if you circumvent their protections on wireless syncing on your own time so be it, but selling these online for profit is a big dumbass sign on that companies CEO's forehead. if you think microsoft is hurting you by sueing them you're dumb those controllers are garbage and essentially the same price as the real ones if you shop around a bit and catch the deals on amazon i remember i seen microsoft wireless controllers for $42. just be glad M$ is taking these off the shelves before you get one for christmas or some crap from a shitty aunt :D
Meh if you go through reviews and such you can find good offbrand controllers....unless they force them out of the market threw under handed tactics....

62.4.2010 21:31


... these were wireless controllers which microsoft has a lock on so that companies like this arent making a bunch of shit wireless controllers ...


OK, I though it was because they both had buttons. Thanks to Microsoft for protecting me from low-quality hardware (that is, any but theirs). Were I they, however, I should lower my visibility before the FTC by not suing competing hardware companies for using trivial protocols, or whatever, whose use is absolutely necessary to compete.

72.4.2010 23:41

I call B$ on M$'s part, Datel is a great manufacturer, If this were Mad Catz I could see why shutting them down would be a benefit but every Datel product I have ever owned has always worked and thats more than I can say for the M$ branded wireless controller I recently bought for my 360 that shuts itself off every 2 minutes reguardless how many times I put in new batteries.
Sony did the same thing to Lik Sang over a 3rd party PS3 power adapter when Lik Sang was another reputable company its sad they are getting so greedy over something like this.

83.4.2010 00:00

Originally posted by Pop_Smith:
This looks like the offspring of a PS3 and XBox 360 controller.
You took the words right outta my mouth.

93.4.2010 01:07
Venom5880
Inactive

Originally posted by Menion:
I call B$ on M$'s part, Datel is a great manufacturer, If this were Mad Catz I could see why shutting them down would be a benefit but every Datel product I have ever owned has always worked and thats more than I can say for the M$ branded wireless controller I recently bought for my 360 that shuts itself off every 2 minutes reguardless how many times I put in new batteries.
Sony did the same thing to Lik Sang over a 3rd party PS3 power adapter when Lik Sang was another reputable company its sad they are getting so greedy over something like this.
Lik Sang was attacked by Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft for selling mod chips. The final nail in the casket being that they were exporting PSPs to the UK from Hong Kong. Never had anything to do with the PS3 at all.

Datel has been selling questionable gear for several years now anyway. I just find it odd that it's over something as trivial as a controller.

103.4.2010 10:58

Originally posted by Tristan_2:
OK OK This has gone Looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong ENOUGH Microsoft I am definitely not purchasing not buying a 360 You guys KILLED me getting the console ultimately. First suing Datel for the Memory cards then Sony suing them for the Pandora Battery thing NOW FOR CONTROLLERS? NO WAY THIS HAS GONE LONG ENOUGH Microsoft is I hate to say this, their trying to censor everyone else from making ANYTHING so what now is Microsoft going to sue people who make accessories for them now? I mean seriously this bull shit needs to end
Agreed, there's no reason for this whatsoever. First Apple, then Microsoft, what's next McDonalds for their patent for their coffee? Seriously, these guys need to grow a new pair and share their technology. Do I see 5-year-old toddlers running these companies? Yes I do!!

113.4.2010 11:34

Microsoft needs to scrap the controller anyway. It is geared toward one type of gaming and is FPS. The D-pad is garbage. Games like streetfighter, tekken all benefit from having a tight precision d pad and hat is were hey fall short of the PS3 controller. He'll the Snes. Controller was better built for fighting games. Marvel vs capcom was one of he most anticipated classic fighting games people wanted on next generation consoles and microsoft ruined the experience with their d-pad. Same reason my tekken sits collecting dust on xbox 360

123.4.2010 12:18

Originally posted by lxhotboy:
Microsoft needs to scrap the controller anyway. It is geared toward one type of gaming and is FPS. The D-pad is garbage.
As far as I know, Nintendo and Sony each own a bunch of patents on d-pad design. This makes it really hard for Microsoft put a good d-pad on their controllers without paying patent-licensing fees to either Sony, Nintendo, or both.

133.4.2010 12:22

Originally posted by Pop_Smith:
Originally posted by lxhotboy:
Microsoft needs to scrap the controller anyway. It is geared toward one type of gaming and is FPS. The D-pad is garbage.
As far as I know, Nintendo and Sony each own a bunch of patents on d-pad design. This makes it really hard for Microsoft put a good d-pad on their controllers without paying patent-licensing fees to either Sony, Nintendo, or both.
They charge like 40$ for their crappy pad another 10$ is not going to hurt it any if they bother to fix the design flaws....

144.4.2010 03:44

Originally posted by Venom5880:
Originally posted by Menion:
I call B$ on M$'s part, Datel is a great manufacturer, If this were Mad Catz I could see why shutting them down would be a benefit but every Datel product I have ever owned has always worked and thats more than I can say for the M$ branded wireless controller I recently bought for my 360 that shuts itself off every 2 minutes reguardless how many times I put in new batteries.
Sony did the same thing to Lik Sang over a 3rd party PS3 power adapter when Lik Sang was another reputable company its sad they are getting so greedy over something like this.
Lik Sang was attacked by Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft for selling mod chips. The final nail in the casket being that they were exporting PSPs to the UK from Hong Kong. Never had anything to do with the PS3 at all.

Datel has been selling questionable gear for several years now anyway. I just find it odd that it's over something as trivial as a controller.
sorry didnt mean PS3 meant PSP
http://www.lik-sang.com
The Mod-chips had been removed years prior and they were doing just fine until sony went after them for the White PSP exports then the final straw was the power adapters.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 04 Apr 2010 @ 3:46

154.4.2010 15:30

Dude if Datel gets shut down who's going to make action replays? :| They seem to be getting in alot of **** lately.

164.4.2010 15:33

Originally posted by Menion:
Originally posted by Venom5880:
Originally posted by Menion:
I call B$ on M$'s part, Datel is a great manufacturer, If this were Mad Catz I could see why shutting them down would be a benefit but every Datel product I have ever owned has always worked and thats more than I can say for the M$ branded wireless controller I recently bought for my 360 that shuts itself off every 2 minutes reguardless how many times I put in new batteries.
Sony did the same thing to Lik Sang over a 3rd party PS3 power adapter when Lik Sang was another reputable company its sad they are getting so greedy over something like this.
Lik Sang was attacked by Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft for selling mod chips. The final nail in the casket being that they were exporting PSPs to the UK from Hong Kong. Never had anything to do with the PS3 at all.

Datel has been selling questionable gear for several years now anyway. I just find it odd that it's over something as trivial as a controller.
sorry didnt mean PS3 meant PSP
http://www.lik-sang.com
The Mod-chips had been removed years prior and they were doing just fine until sony went after them for the White PSP exports then the final straw was the power adapters.
Ya it had less to do with mod chips and more to do with regional sale rights.........

174.4.2010 15:34

Originally posted by OmriSama:
Dude if Datel gets shut down who's going to make action replays? :| They seem to be getting in alot of **** lately.
You can;t build a action reply/code breaker,ect for the PS3/360 anymore tho ;_;

184.4.2010 19:34

Originally posted by ZippyDSM:
Originally posted by Pop_Smith:
Originally posted by lxhotboy:
Microsoft needs to scrap the controller anyway. It is geared toward one type of gaming and is FPS. The D-pad is garbage.
As far as I know, Nintendo and Sony each own a bunch of patents on d-pad design. This makes it really hard for Microsoft put a good d-pad on their controllers without paying patent-licensing fees to either Sony, Nintendo, or both.
They charge like 40$ for their crappy pad another 10$ is not going to hurt it any if they bother to fix the design flaws....

Good point Zippy. My thoughts exactly. I love my xbox360. Just recently had my first RROD and Microsoft did stand to their word. Newer console runs so much quieter with less heat. Microsoft wants all their money so no 3rd party company can make anything for their console. No wireless controllers, outside harddrives like PS3, etc.... They could have payed the money for use of patents that is if they are still in effect. Does anyone know how long a patent is good for Snes was a long time ago. Also Microsoft is very much aware of the constant complaints and has had more than enough time to correct the issue. It's just that it has never been brought into the spotlight through legal actions so they choose not to correct the D-pad.

194.4.2010 19:42

Originally posted by lxhotboy:
Originally posted by ZippyDSM:
Originally posted by Pop_Smith:
Originally posted by lxhotboy:
Microsoft needs to scrap the controller anyway. It is geared toward one type of gaming and is FPS. The D-pad is garbage.
As far as I know, Nintendo and Sony each own a bunch of patents on d-pad design. This makes it really hard for Microsoft put a good d-pad on their controllers without paying patent-licensing fees to either Sony, Nintendo, or both.
They charge like 40$ for their crappy pad another 10$ is not going to hurt it any if they bother to fix the design flaws....

Good point Zippy. My thoughts exactly. I love my xbox360. Just recently had my first RROD and Microsoft did stand to their word. Newer console runs so much quieter with less heat. Microsoft wants all their money so no 3rd party company can make anything for their console. No wireless controllers, outside harddrives like PS3, etc.... They could have payed the money for use of patents that is if they are still in effect. Does anyone know how long a patent is good for Snes was a long time ago. Also Microsoft is very much aware of the constant complaints and has had more than enough time to correct the issue. It's just that it has never been brought into the spotlight through legal actions so they choose not to correct the D-pad.
I been playing brutal legend in 4+ hour sets the last few days only had one crash, its been mostly solid play with a few pauses and loading issues but meh that will happen in any game.

I am going to grab a PS3 to 360 adapter,ps3 pad and a frag mouse by Xmas, might even buy a moded 360 pad.

I could care less if MS has blocked out as much fun and user customization as they can...their are plenty of ways around it :P

Just got my 360 a month ago. ^^
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 04 Apr 2010 @ 7:47

209.4.2010 18:07

Thank you, Microsoft, for reminding me why I've never bought an XBox. Yes...eventually, all the companies remind me why I don't own their consoles. So far Nintendo is currently the least evil...

2110.4.2010 11:34

I say! That controller above looks very nice... I wouldn't be surprised if M$ wants to shut them down just for that. :)

Yep, even though Xbox controllers are better built than the PSx's it's DPad is just crap in comparison. When employing the superlative Xpadder application on my PC I tend to set the DPad as four-way only and then set tap/hold actions and modifier Sets to compensate.

2214.8.2010 13:45
dat trashman
Unverified new user

you guys should check out the razer onza. It should be out soon the d pad is 4 buttons rather than one, has extra RB and LB that u can map to any button, and u can adjust the joysticks to.(only prob its not wireless)

2320.4.2011 09:02
ibetellingyou
Unverified new user

Originally posted by dat trashman:
you guys should check out the razer onza. It should be out soon the d pad is 4 buttons rather than one, has extra RB and LB that u can map to any button, and u can adjust the joysticks to.(only prob its not wireless)
they do have them out seen them on ebay 120 dollar no damn controller is worth that much i dont care what the f*** it does lol

Comments have been disabled for this article.

News archive