Sony targets WII gamers
Sony today unveiled its highly anticipated “motion control” system as it takes aim at Nintendo’s dominance in the gaming sector.
The Japanese electronics giant hopes the PlayStation Move will lure gamers who have outgrown Nintendo, which launched the groundbreaking Wii in 2006 – the first console with motion-detecting controllers.
Peter Dille, senior vice president of marketing for Sony Computer Entertainment, credited Nintendo for “introducing motion gaming to the masses”.
Now it’s time for them to graduate to the PlayStation, which offers a new experience for both casual and hardcore gamers, Mr Dille said at a press conference in San Francisco.
“The migration path from the Wii household to the PlayStation 3 household is a pretty natural path, partly because of the experience that you can get on the PlayStation Move but also because of the content that we find on PlayStation 3,” he added.
Used with the existing PlayStation Eye camera, Sony’s wireless motion controller can track players’ body movements thanks to a light-emitting orb that is recognised by the camera.
“Nothing has ever been this precise,” said Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Computer Electronics Worldwide Studios.
The PlayStation Move will go on sale in the US in the autumn. Complete details of prices have not been released, but a starter bundle including the PlayStation Eye, motion controller and one game will retail for under $100 (€110), Mr Dille said.
Major game publishers such as Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts and Square Enix are developing Move-compatible games.
The latest announcement comes as both Sony and Microsoft, maker of the Xbox 360, attempt to gain ground on Nintendo. Since the Wii first hit stores, it has consistently outsold rivals by attracting casual and non-traditional gamers like women and older generations.
Microsoft is planning its own offensive this year with its Project Natal.
Natal, which combines a camera, depth sensor, microphone and processor, eliminates the need for any button-pressing device. Microsoft is expected to release Natal in time for the Christmas shopping season but has not set a specific date.
