Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS Want to be Like Wii

Way back in August, we reported that the Xbox 360 gaming console from Microsoft was going to upgrade their controllers with some Nintendo Wii-like motion conrol. Well unlike 90 percent of the rumors you hear, this one looks like it's actually coming to fruition. The people behind the Xbox 360 and—get this—the Nintendo DS are both gearing up to release motion feedback controllers...

We spotted this in a March 26th article on Electric Pig, so we're pretty confident that it's not an April Fools joke.

At the Games Developers Conference 2009, PDP (Performance Designed Products, aka the Guys behind almost every accessory for Rock Band and Guitar Hero) released info about a new long-form controller called the GameTrak Freedom for the Xbox format.

We should be seeing it by the end of the year for use with a mini game collection curiously called Squeeballs and described by PDP as "a collection of over 150 unique challenges that showcases the capabilities of the controller… players can blow up, cook, slice, bat, bowl, shoot and bounce the Squeeballs with greater accuracy than is capable with any other controller."

Also by PDP and unveiled at the conference is the SmartStylus for Nintendo DS. It's a giant, cumbersome stylus that adds to your gameplay experience with motion feedback, sounds, LEDs and probably tired fingers from holding it up all afternoon.

PDP is still waiting for Nintendo approval to sell the device for DS, but if it is approved, we should see it just in time for the holiday season.