http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=33508

Sony and Microsoft execs praise iPhone and Wiimote for ease of use

Phil Harrison, outgoing exec at Sony's worldwide studios, and Peter Molyneux, boss of Microsoft's Lionhead studio, have both agreed that home console controllers are too complex and put new users off playing videogames.

"You hand somebody a game controller and it's like you've handed them a live gun or a hand grenade with the pin taken out," commented Harrison during GDC last week.

"We don't use half the buttons on the 360 controller,” admitted Molyneux, "simply because the whole dream I've got is that someone will sit down to play Fable 2 who has never played a game before and they can play with someone who's played games the whole of their lives.

"I wish there wasn't so many buttons on the controller. You have to approach that in design terms by thinking you've only got one button," he added.

Harrison praised Nintendo's Wiimote for being a "non-game centric device" which has bought an element of "democratisation" to controlling videogames. He was also impressed with Apple's iPhone for appealing to a user's natural instincts.

"I saw this first hand a few weeks ago where a two year old was playing with an iPhone and he knows how to get the pictures up of mum and dad. The two year-old then intuitively thought that all electronic devices worked like that," said Harrison. "He's pressing the TV to change channels."

"He's right and the rest of us are wrong – that should be applied universally. Apple should be applauded for that innovation," he added.

hmmmm.....did he give props to Apple/Nin while still employed with sony?

Although of course I support the Wiimote, it's BS that other controllers are too complicated. Of course you've gotta get used to them a little bit, but they make playing games a lot easier. I don't want to insult anybody, but these people seem somewhat simple-minded, thinking that everything should come in such a way you can immediately understand it.

*SIGH*   yes..... 

@ T013--see i think that they have gotten to complicated---look and the SNES controler...Only four buttons on front to use, two shoulders, and a direction pad....ahh simple yet effective

and until the wii mote came along Dev's in general seemed to be trying to fit as many button combos and options on as possibly

@Ant---why would he say that...hmmm.....i wonder if he already knew he was going and decided not to care anymore about knocking the comp.....

I wonder if he owns a wii in secret

 well u cant really compare SNES games to todays games and their complexities....  games have gotten complicated as well... u cant have a game like COD4  with a SNES controller..

 what bothers me is that all the signs point to that he was leaving and he desided to speak his mind in the wrong place at the wrong time just to spite sony...

^ i agree that it shouldnt have been done with so much glee---

mabye he submited his ap to nin and was wanting some brownie points

 as far as i know he was a huge advocate of "casual gaming" but sony dint agree with him so i wouldnt be surprised.  but if sony were to go all casual this generation i would have been very disapointed, and im sure so would have been a LOT of other people

Edit: i think he aslo said something like Wii sports is the true next gen or something....