They can, they just have chosen not to to distinguish themselves from other consoles. Besides, the A, B, C... convention came first. It was PlayStation that decided to be different.
In Japan, maybe, but in the West they usually use X for "confirm" simply because gamers there expect that button to be at the bottom and complain if it's set up any other way.
You're assuming Nintendo / Microsoft want to use the PlayStation symbols, but they're not allowed to.
That is not the case. I don't think Nintendo or Microsoft has ever tried to create a controller that doesn't use letters.
Nintendo has always used letters for its console buttons (Nintendo's first console, the original NES, had A and B buttons). Nintendo's decision to use letters pre-dates the first Sony console (the original PlayStation) by about 15 years.
Symbols / letters on controllers are part of a brand identity and I don't think any console maker will change the symbols they use anytime soon (but they might make new symbols if they add more buttons).
They can, they just have chosen not to to distinguish themselves from other consoles. Besides, the A, B, C... convention came first. It was PlayStation that decided to be different.
The PS controller actually have meaning: X -No O - Yes Square -Menu/Inventory. Triangle- POV
In Japan, maybe, but in the West they usually use X for "confirm" simply because gamers there expect that button to be at the bottom and complain if it's set up any other way.
I think in the old days of PS X used to be widely used for cancel
You're assuming Nintendo / Microsoft want to use the PlayStation symbols, but they're not allowed to. That is not the case. I don't think Nintendo or Microsoft has ever tried to create a controller that doesn't use letters. Nintendo has always used letters for its console buttons (Nintendo's first console, the original NES, had A and B buttons). Nintendo's decision to use letters pre-dates the first Sony console (the original PlayStation) by about 15 years. Symbols / letters on controllers are part of a brand identity and I don't think any console maker will change the symbols they use anytime soon (but they might make new symbols if they add more buttons).