TGS 09: PS3 Motion Controller Coming Spring 2010 - Compatible Games Revealed
Last night at the Tokyo Game Show Sony held their press conference and finally revealed some more info about their new motion controller for the PS3. Well, I guess we don't know too much that's new about it. "Motion controller" is still the unofficial name and no price has been set, but we do now know that it will be coming out sometime in the Spring next year. What's that you say, Spring is an extended period of time and not a real date? True, but that release date supports a certain leak from Sega, which gave a more specific release window of March in Japan. Oh, and the PS3 motion controller will use rechargeable batteries.
Ok, so there isn't a whole lot of new info about the controller itself. What we do actually know more about is the games that you'll be able to play with it. In a press release this morning Sony revealed some early games that will launch with the new controller, as well as some existing games that will gain the functionality in a network update.
- Ape Escape (Working Title)
- Echochrome 2 (Working Title)
- Eccentric Slider (Working Title)
- Sing and Draw (Working Title)
- Champions of Time (Working Title)
- Motion Party (Working Title)
- The Shoot (Working Title)
- Tower (Working Title)
- PAIN*
- Flower*
- Hustle Kings*
- High Velocity Bowling*
- EyePet*
* Motion control function will be added by network update, etc.
Flower seems like a natural fit for the motion controller seeing as it was already controlled using the tilt of the SIXAXIS controller. And I can see a lot of potential for using the motion controller in EyePet. But the game that stands out to me most on that list is Sing and Draw simply because it seems to put together two features that, while both possible on the PS3, don't naturally fit together.
However, there are two games that are suspiciously absent from the Sony press release list. I say suspiciously because the two games were demonstrated during Sony's press conference, making them the first games announced to support the new controller. The first is Little Big Planet, which Sony showed one player controlling a sackboy while another player flipped switches with the motion controller. The second game is Resident Evil 5: Director's Cut Resident Evil 5: Alternate Edition, announced during the press conference, which demonstrated a new control scheme using the motion controller in a way that resembled Resident Evil 4 on the Wii. Considering that the PS3 motion controller has no nunchuck attachment like the Wii, that means you'll be holding a Dualshock controller in your left hand and a motion controller in your right. How is this a good plan?
I have been holding my anticipation for the motion controller until some supporting games were announced, and now that they have been I'm still not sure. Most of the newly announced games we still know nothing about, and I'm still not sure how the controls will feel in Resident Evil 5: Director's Cut Resident Evil 5: Alternate Edition, which isn't exactly a a new game anyway. The motion controller will live or die on the games that support it, and considering that you need both the new controller and a Playstation Eye camera for it to work gives it a steep barrier for entry for most gamers. But if Capcom's on-board with such a big title, then at least we know Sony's doing their part to court developers.
So with the PS3 motion controller only half a year are you starting to get excited for it? Find the full Sony press release after the jump.
UPDATE: There was some confusion going on this morning regarding the PS3 motion enhanced version of Resident Evil 5. Press attending TGS called it both a "Director's Cut" and "Alternate Edition." Thinking that Alternate Edition was a name from mistranslation (because it sounds ridiculous) I used the Director's Cut title. I was wrong. The game is called Resident Evil 5: Alternate Edition.
Motion Controller* for PlayStation(R)3 to Become Available in Spring 2010
Motion Controller (Unofficial Name) Equipped with High-Precision Motion Sensors, Combined With PlayStation(R)Eye Camera, Delivers Whole New Entertainment Experience on PlayStation(R)3TOKYO, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) today announced that it will release a new Motion Controller (unofficial name) for PlayStation(R)3 (PS3(R)) computer entertainment system in Spring 2010. The new controller, equipped with high-precision, highly accurate motion sensors, can deliver a whole new entertainment experience on PS3 when combined together with the PlayStation(R)Eye camera(*1). Capable of recognizing and tracking a user's face and voice as well as body motion, PlayStation Eye can also output the player's image onto the TV screen. SCE will vigorously promote the expansion of this new experience only possible on the PS3 platform.
The newly announced Motion Controller is equipped with two motion sensors, three axes gyroscope and three axes accelerometer that can detect the controller's angle and movement held in the user's hand. Together with the PlayStation Eye camera for PS3 which can accurately track the absolute position of the controller, the controller can detect the natural and intuitive movement of the hand and reflect the precise movement on to the game. The sphere placed on the top of the controller is not only used to track the absolute position but can also give visual feedback to users by changing the colors or the illuminating patterns of the sphere. Furthermore, the new controller is also equipped with a rumble feature, familiar to the PlayStation(R) DUALSHOCK(R) series controller, delivering an immersive gaming experience to users.
Further expanding the new experience on PS3, SCE Worldwide Studios will deliver many exciting software titles for the Motion Controller in 2010(*2). SCE, with strong support from software developers and publishers, will deploy various measures to enhance the software title line-up for the new Motion Controller and vigorously promote the PS3 platform.
* Motion Controller is a tentative name.
*1 Users will need to use the PlayStation Eye camera to enjoy Motion Controller on PS3.
*2 Please see below for software titles to be released in 2010.
Product Outline
Motion Controller (Tentative)
Product name Motion Controller (tentative)
Release date Spring 2010
Recommended Retail Price To be decided.
Key Features -- Three axes gyroscope, three axes accelerometer
-- Bluetooth(R) 2.0
-- Lithium-Ion rechargeable internal battery
Software Titles for Motion Controller from SCE Worldwide Studios(*1)(2010 release, includes both Motion Controller dedicated and compatible titles)
Title name
----------
Ape Escape (Working Title)
Echochrome 2 (Working Title)
Eccentric Slider (Working Title)
Sing and Draw (Working Title)
Champions of Time (Working Title)
Motion Party (Working Title)
The Shoot (Working Title)
Tower (Working Title)
PAIN(*2)
Flower(*2)
Hustle Kings(*2)
High Velocity Bowling(*2)
EyePet(*2)*1 Titles to be released will depend by countries or regions.
*2 Motion control function will be added by network update, etc.
About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Recognized as the global leader and company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufactures, distributes and markets the PlayStation(R) game console, the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, the PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) handheld entertainment system and the PlayStation(R)3 (PS3(R)) system. PlayStation has revolutionized home entertainment by introducing advanced 3D graphic processing, and PlayStation 2 further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP is a handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3D games, with high-quality full-motion video, and high-fidelity stereo audio. PS3 is an advanced computer system, incorporating the state-of-the-art Cell processor with super computer like power. SCEI, along with its subsidiary divisions Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc. develops, publishes, markets and distributes software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these platforms in the respective markets worldwide. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, SCEI is an independent business unit of the Sony Group.
The Bluetooth word mark is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is under license.
PlayStation and PSP are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
SOURCE Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
NaviFairy
Posted to Hot Stuff, Video Games on 24 September 2009
· Comments (6)
Other stuff like this: motion controller, PS3, Resident Evil 5 Alternate Edition, tgs 09, tokyo game show
I'm very on the fence about this; as it stands, the waggle in most Wii games annoys the piss out of me, so why would I expect more from this new technology?
Seeing the RE fanboys proclaim 5 as the best thing eva now it has motion controls is gonna be hilarious.
Hopefully Flower will get a second coming of sales from this, that game looked amazing, pure and simple.
Motion controls kill my enjoyment of a game 99.9% of the time. I don't think I'll be getting one of these.
@Shin Gallon
I would disagree about that, or at least the proportion. There are plenty of games that very successfully incorporate motion controls. Boom Blox 1 and 2, Mario Kart Wii, Tiger Woods 10, Warioland Shake It, Zack and Wiki, and even the PS3's own Flower and Folklore. I agree that there are more games that use it poorly than use motion controls well, but there are still plenty that do use it well.
What worries me about the PS3 motion controller is that it either limits you to only use motion control, or use motion control while trying to hold a PS3 controller in your other hand. Neither are good solutions. If Sony is serious about bringing motion control to its games then they're going to have to come up with a better control solution to allow players to use both a motion controller and an analog stick.
All I know is that if motion controls disappeared from video games forever I wouldn't have a single tear to shed. A "use classic controller" option in Wii games would have me playing a lot more games on the system. The motion controls ruined Mario Galaxy for me...I finished it, but I've never gone back to replay it like I have every other Mario game...
these are the kinds of promotions that got Nintendo on top. Just making a controller with a broken game using the feature isn’t going to do it!