🤓 The development of the Atari joystick to the NES / SNES controllers to the Sony Playstation controller was about being able to enable more easy-access control options. Flight sims on the Atari had to be very simple.

Curiously, mouse and keyboard (or for me trackball and keyboard) are so intuitive for looking around a 3D environment that I prefer it to the Sony config, but then it took years and years before a working config (involving easy selection, locking and auto-aim) could be made for FPSes.

Joysticks are also difficult to replace, and plenty of flight sims / space sims still allow for joystick controls when they are available. The problem there is that potentiometers which allow for gradient maneuvering tend to deteriorate quickly, so we've veered away from joystics to laser-tracked mice (which don't depend on moving parts). /🤓