Here is a situation I have run into, and I am posting to ask people here their thoughts on this. 

I know of an individual who is middle age or older, who really didn't get into videogames, but was interested in doing it, to have something to do.  We tried to do a 4 player split-screen of Halo 3 with him, and he just wasn't able to get into it.  He was having problems aiming, and moving and didn't really do much in it.  He felt the controls were way too fast and he just wasn't doing it.  What I am seeing here is the controllers are a potential barrier for him.  In this, I do see a reason for the Wii doing well.

Anyhow, anyone else see this, or would you disagree?  If you disagree, do you believe that people should become dedicated enough to make an effort to learn the controls to the PS3 or 360?  Last I checked, the 360's controller has a total of at least 10 buttons on it (2 on analog stick included), and more if you count the start and back button, and middle button.  It also has 3 controllers on it.

the dualshock to me was an extreme barrier. At least when I was supposed to use it to play some Dragonball game on the PS2 with extremely long combos, and I had to learn all those buttons.

I also remember playing Tekken 1 on the PS1 with my friends and losing and being told that I suck at it instantly since it was so complex, so yes controllers can be a barrier. (this is what began my bad history with the Playstations)

Not only controllers but software. You hit the nail on the head with the wii but it goes even further with software....see Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Wii play.....Nintendo brought in the people that genres and controllers were barriers for (a huge untapped market) and gave them software and they have been eating it up ever since.

Definitely. The best games are the ones that are easy to pick up, yet difficult to master. That's certainly not possible if you've got to keep track of 2 analog sticks and half a dozen buttons.

It's kinda funny how with each generation, a new button (or 4) would be added to the controller... with a peak of ridiculousness probably being the N64 controller.

But the Wii definitely acknowledges this in its simplicity... and that is part of its appeal.

Most definately.

I played SSX Blur with my dad, I had to tell him to ignore the Wii remote entirely so he was just using the nunchuck (tilting it to steer left and right, and pushing up/down on the stick to go faster/slower)

---

My grandparent's, grandmother in particular, have a hard time getting Wii bowling right too, even though for each visit they make that we play I have shown her what to do 2-3 times.... if Wii Bowling can be a problem then 99.9% of other games are naturally going to be a problem.

Yes, controllers are a barrier.

Just by looking at the amount of buttons and sticks and someone will feel repelled. They will only learn to use it when they don't have a choice. But as long as they have, they will stay away

If a non english speaking 7 year old kid can figure it out, anybody can.

Has nothing to do with controllers.

Every input method is difficult to master for someone with no experience.

my older brother who is in his 30's came around last xmas and i let him have a go on assassins creed, he could not get to grips with the controls at all no matter how many times i explained it , yet he loved the ps1 but the controls on ps1 games where so simple

I don't understand whats so difficult and intimidating about using a controller. If people can learn to use cell phones, keyboards and digital cameras with dozens of tiny or oddly placed buttons then whats so complicated about 4 colored buttons (Xbox 360) or 4 simple shapes (PS) or 2-4 top buttons. Unless they don't know left from right, are color blind and have poor hand-eye coordination, using a control should be dirt simple.