Wiimote controller

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The fine reporters at MTV News have netted themselves quite a scoop: an unnamed source tells them that Microsoft has secretly been working on a motion controller for the Xbox 360 styled after Nintendo's Wii remote (pictured), which may see release before the end of the year. The project has been rocky, however, with the source reporting difficulty hitting deadlines.

The source, who wished to remain anonymous so as to not jeopardizing their business relationships, says the project has been in active development since last August. Rare has reportedly taken a major stake in the project, tasked with designing the interface and look of the controller. The source even passed along a rough sketch of the last prototype, which may look a bit familiar.

According to the source, the controller would have four face buttons, a trigger button, an analog stick and a built-in microphone. It would not have a port for any controller attachments, such as the Wii's nunchuck. There have also been plans for the remote to somehow work in conjunction with the Xbox Live Vision Camera.

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