No, it's not an optical illusion.

Microsoft is really just that creative.

What you're looking at is the Xbox 360's answer to the Wii-mote developed by Motus Games [See more here] [1]

While this complete rip-off of the Wii-Mote will come as no surprise to fans of Microsoft since it's the same method through which they built up their famous operating system to dominance, it is still a little bit shocking that they would be this obvious.

Putting aside my artistic snobbery for a moment, I must salute Microsoft for not just being complacent and letting Nintendo Wii run away with the Party Game innovations baton.

While I'm not the biggest fan of Star Wars (DON'T STONE ME, I'M SORRY! MERCY!) I am veritabally drooling over the possibilities this controller allows for Lightsaber combat action. I have been very disapointed by the Wii-mote's use in such matters, and the only game that came close to putting me into the shoes of a bad-ass slasher was No More Heroes and even that game had a tad too much slowdown for my tastes.

At any rate, competition can only breed better games for the likes of you and me, hopefully Microsoft does the right thing and unleashes this bad boy and doesn't just keep it in reserve for quirky games like the already announced Banjo Kazooie for Xbox 360.