Do gamepads have a future?

The analysis of the appearance of the controllers of 32/64-bit consoles, as well as their evolution within the 5th generation, for the first time and most acutely exposed the dispute between gamers from PCs and gamers-attachments. Finding out which is more comfortable and practical, a keyboard in conjunction with a mouse or a gamepad, does not make sense, since this is a matter of habit and personal preference. I note that this confrontation between the peripheries will be viable exactly as long as they are applied.


What will die first in the future is still unknown, but I dare to disappoint those who dream of the disappearance of gamepads and their transformation into something that has been directly implanted into the brain, and from this completely non-contact and immediately acting synaptically. This will never happen. And that's why.

Human neurophysiology itself does not suggest such changes. For to get the whole palette of visual-tactile sensations, to completely immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the game, to quickly analyze the situation in it, the gamer needs constant sensorimotor experience. And with the advent of 3D games, such an experience has acquired deep and most vivid outlines. And, as you understand, it is the gamepad that allows you to feel all the delights of the game, and not the "electrodes implanted in the hippocampus."

Speaking scientifically, as soon as a player’s finger motility disappears, neural connections will no longer be produced in the same volume that is needed to maintain analytical thinking at the proper level. A gamer will quickly lose his acquired skills and will not be able to control his character in the open world of games of the coming generation ...

In conclusion, I want to remind you that modern gamepads, starting from the middle of the fifth generation, use the sensorimotor skills of not only the thumb and index fingers, but also the middle (!), Bringing the control to six fingers. Once again: while NES / Famicom offered two-finger control (mainly using the thumbs on the spider and buttons A, B), SNES / Super Famicom offered four-finger control (additionally due to the appearance of ciphers), modern controllers offer six-finger control (for due to the appearance of analog sticks and a second pair of ciphers).

As you can see, there is still room for a “gamepad” to grow, while for console gamers, it’s more “smart” ...