Controller Design

Developers tasked with designing a functional controller are probably challenged to make the device light enough to hold easily, small enough to reasonably fit in a player's hands, responsive to button presses, relevant to gameplay, and visually appealing. These challenges define the entirety of a controller design beyond any initial inspiration.

Gameplay functionality is probably a priority, because if you can't play a game, no one cares how good the controller looks. This is where button placement and design begins. The most used buttons are usually the largest and/or most colorful. Secondary functions are not necessarily large, but are either colorful or close to primary buttons. Almost all buttons on the controller are within reach of either the forefingers or thumbs. Any buttons not considered a major part of gameplay are placed towards the center of a controller, so that they are not difficult to reach with the thumbs, but are in fact a reach.

Once the placement of the buttons is chosen it's likely the exact shape of the controller is decided. This is designed to hold the necessary hardware and comfortably fit in the grip of one or more hands. This engineering probably includes a lot of study and testing with