VIRAL: What is Really the Correct Layout for Console Controllers? Redditors Debate between 'X' and 'O'

The social news aggregator and forums website, Reddit, has a viral trend that debates over controller layout between the 'X' and 'O' configuration found on PlayStation Controllers that confused several gamers throughout its existence. The initial debut of the Japanese company, Sony Entertainment, of the PlayStation, even had '△ ' as its back button.

The timeless debate and argument over who is the rightful back button for all of PlayStation's controller are now ensuing on Reddit, with users arguing and some agreeing on crucial information for gamers. Different layouts in games and the console's interface have confused gamers through the years, with the ever-changing button functions.

Sony first rolled-out the PlayStation in 1994, packaging both the console with a disc-reading top for the games and a wired-controller to navigate and play. The wired controller's layout, the famous '△XO,' consists of different functions or commands for the characters to obey. Triangle, Square, X, and Circle make up the iconic symbols for PlayStation and even the whole of gaming.

Reddit's Debate: What is the Back and Enter Universal Layout for Controllers?

In a post contributed by u/TOOMtheRaccoon in the r/gaming community, the Reddit user asks if fellow gamers and Redditors have mixed 'these' up. The Redditor refers to the buttons placed next to each other, the 'X' and 'O.' In Nintendo Switch and Xbox's case, the 'A' and 'B.'

Have you ever mixed this up? from r/gaming

In Japan, consoles currently offer 'X' as the back button, while 'O' is the enter function; the same goes for Nintendo and Xbox's A and B. However, in the western hemisphere of gaming, particularly in the North American region (NA), it is inverted, with 'X' as the enter or confirms button, and 'O' is the back.

Redditors argue that indeed, that is the case, with the North America region offering the controls as inverted and the East's Japan, offering the accepted layout. Gamers are now in the middle of the difference in commands, getting confused, and debating, universally accepted over the other.

What are the universally-accepted functions for X and O?

The original PS1 controls put 'X' as back and 'O' as enter, according to u/FblthpTheFound, further stating that westerners preferred the layout inverted. u/triggered2019 joins the conversation, saying that initially, the △ button is the universal function for the back.

Currently, Sony's layout uses Japan's preferences as its default, with 'X' as the back and 'O' as the enter. Japanese citizens perceive the circle shape as the 'correct' symbol instead of the checkmark '✓,' and 'X' to really mean no.

Xbox's Difference in Control Symbols: SEGA-Inspired

Topic of controllers at hand, is it not relative to many that Microsoft's Xbox layout controls, while having the same commands with PlayStation, differs in the layout and symbols used. While Sony's PlayStation used the iconic '△XO,' Microsoft's Xbox used the 'YXAB' letters for its controllers.

Many would think that the primary reason for this is the copyright or trademarked layout of Sony's PlayStation, which came earlier than Microsoft's 'DirectX Box' for seven years. The reason behind that, as discussed by Redditors, is Microsoft's deal and partnership with SEGA.

The SEGA Dreamcast contains both the iconic 'A' and 'B' button on the bottom and right layout, respectively. However, another user u/SaintVanilla, argues that it is from the Genesis controller, which initially has a six-button design.

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Written by Isaiah Alonzo