Sony announces new PS3 motion controller

Sony just announced the rumored new motion controller for the PS3 -- the prototype looks like a wand with a color-changing ball on top. It's designed to work in conjunction with the PlayStation Eye, with the wand overlaid on-screen with a weapon or tool. Unlike Microsoft's Project Natal, Sony says they've learned "some experiences need buttons," which is why there's still a controller involved. The system is said to be "sub-millimeter" precise, and it was demoed drawing and playing a shooter -- it's sort of the middle ground between Natal and Wii Motion Plus. Sony says it'll launch in the spring of 2010, but we don't know what pricing will be like yet.

Update: Video added after the break!

Gallery: PS3 Motion Controller

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[Danthok @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:33PM]

You can smell the desperation

[sacapuntas @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:41PM]

Nope that's the adulation over...HIGHEST RANK being back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEAH!!!

[whowhatme @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:54PM]

actually highest rank was never gone, i think the commenting is just based on number of up votes vs. total number of page views or something like that. if you click on individual comment threads (the links are the timestamps by each poster's name), you will see that those are sometimes highest ranked and lowest ranked, etc.

it's just very rare in a full article because i guess there's 50 comments, so it's difficult to hit the threshold. but during the keynotes, they only show 10 comments per page, thus it's a lot easier for comments to get the highest rank

[Wii60 @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:56PM]

I don't call that desperation, its just responding to what the market clearly wants.

And while it's not as ambitious as Microsoft's Project Natal, they showed that it works already. And boy did it work well. That's more than you can say for Motion Plus and Natal.

I'm not saying that Motion Plus or Natal won't be able to provide real 1:1, but Sony has at least assured us that it will happen on at least one of the big 3 and perhaps we can finally get that lightsaber fight we always wanted.

[NeoJew @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:00PM]

I think that picture with the arrow looks cool cause the player (from what I can tell of the picture) holds 2 controllers, draws one back and then hits a button to release the arrow. The Wii would probably be something like, Hold A, wiggle, release.

[jason @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:10PM]

The problem I have with it is that What if someone is wearing the same color as the remote? it will probably fuck it up. which is why everyone at sony was wearing black.

And another problem is that this only has 2 points of interests whereas Natal tracks the whole body (feet, legs, hands, arms, head) in full 3d.

[Andir3.0 @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:20PM]

"What if someone is wearing the same color as the remote?"

Can you point me to a store that sells color changing light up clothing?

[Wii60 @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:21PM]

@jason

I agree, that the Natal is attempting more, and I have the same concerns you do about the image clashing with the black outfits. But that problem extends even more so into the 360's method. How can you distinguish a leg from the background? I don't know the answers to these questions, but what I do know is that Sony proved their method, even if you have to wear a black shirt to do it.

If Natal works, then yeah, well done Microsoft. I'll be glad to have a 360 that I use almost daily. If it doesn't work like the Wii didn't, then we have a very impressive fallback here with Sony, and I get to blow the dust off my ps3.

[BSprague @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:26PM]

I understand what you guys are saying, but the ball changes colors, so unless you are wearing a rainbow suit, you should be fine as I'm guessing it will adapt to the scenery.

[Andrew Jones @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:30PM]

@Wii60

From all appearances, Natal uses 2 (or more?) cameras to get a stereo view of the scene, allowing it to use depth cues to pick you out from the background. In this case, the wand (or "Wiildo" as I'm sure it'll be referred) seems able to change color.


@jason
Image recognition of a set object is typically simpler than identifying a broad set of items. In other words, identifying the wand should be easier than identifying the head, neck, torso, legs, feet, arms, and hand with the Natal. Worse case is they also have an IR LED that can flash to separate it from the background, unless that background happens the be a bonfire.

[sukru @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:59PM]

Natal *is* using an infrared projector to track 3d bodies. As far as I know, it's a single camera, a single projector, and an array of microphones.

[trainwrecka @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:12PM]

@Andir

http://www.enlighted.com/pages/gallery.shtml

[Why should I have all the fun? @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:27PM]

Oh please let this thing help my lame ass in shooters.

[DirtyVegas @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:58PM]

I don't know about desperation, but this looks awfully rushed. I think MS's announcement yesterday forced Sony's hand.

[mattergenocide @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:03PM]

Desperate or not, Sony has brought true 1 to 1 motion control, FINALLY. The demonstration was impressive and 100% live. Nintendo will continue to sell a lot I'm sure, but technically Sony has left Wii in the dust and if Microsoft's Natasha turns out as good as they say, so will Xbox 360. Hopefully developers make great use of both of these technologies to bring us the true future of gaming, something Nintendo failed to do unfortunately.

[Patrick @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:39PM]

actually i think i smell a dude that's never talked in front of an audience before

[JS @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:50PM]

This sort of thing would be awesome with VR goggles.

[WickedEast @ Jun 2nd 2009 11:02PM]

Haters never quit. Replace "Sony" with "Nintendo" and they'll get a hard-on instead of hating this tech.

[Michael @ Jun 10th 2009 2:16PM]

Amen.

This thing's a toy compared to Natal!

Oh, well. Maybe Natal will inspire Sony and Nintendo to actually accomplish something new.

[Mr.Ironic @ Jun 16th 2009 12:44AM]

@Andir3.0 Cyberdog. What will the cybers do!!!

[mugupo @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:33PM]

lol that look more like a sex toy than a motion controller.

[X3HaloEd @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:35PM]

hahaha, that's what I thought.

[holycow @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:46PM]

they said it was a prototype and the final thing won't look like this...

[KJOhio @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:48PM]

LOL - Almost spilled coffee on my work laptop ....

[Dave @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:50PM]

Rumble-pack sold separately.

[BigD145 @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:00PM]

The ladies will have to wait a year or two for rumble.

[Tony C @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:09PM]

Who here sees a personal massage device? Show of hands! One, two, three... Oh hell, just say everyone!

[zad @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:16PM]

I guess Sony is finally going after the soccer moms.

[inteller @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:54PM]

Actually, it looks like something the Ood carry in Dr. Who.....and is about as cheesy.

"Sony says they've learned "some experiences need buttons," "

Yeah, that's what they learned before yesterday.....now they just look stupid saying that. Sounds like something they added to their speech after the MS press briefing.

desperation.

[BEN! @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:00PM]

you guys are gross

[john @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:39PM]

dildo motion control?

[zmanforever @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:34PM]

Excellent finally the Wii killer i want Next gen graphics with a motion controller not shitty Wii graphics because they cannot afford to go next gen.

[Wolfticket @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:40PM]

If Nintendo couldn't afford to go "next gen" with graphics before, I'm pretty sure they could now.
Say what you like about the Wii and DS, but to Nintendo they are basically a licence to print as much money they like. I think Nintendo aren't worried about systems with better graphics because they have realised that there is a huge market made up of people who couldn't care less as long as it is cute and fun.

[iDavey @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:46PM]

Did you really just say Nintendo cant "afford" something...
Shoot yourself and fall off a cliff...thanks.

[PG @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:44PM]

All the wii buyers now are going to buy Nintendo's next system? I don't think so, the majority aren't even spending money buying many of the new games coming out on the wii now. Are the hardcore gamers going to buy the next nintendo system? Nope not after the lack of any game targeting that demographic for the wii, they know better than to go with nintendo ever again. So who will nintendo sell their next machine to when the new xbox 720 and ps4 come out? Or do they plan to still sell an 8+ year old machine at $50 to a limited number of still interested buyers? They basically looked really short term and gained alot of short term profit, and in essence killed off their long term prospective. Reality is MS and Sony now are interested putting out motion controls and they have much bigger budgets to make those experiences much better than Nintendo could ever dream.

Nintendo tried every gimmic possible hoping for a miracle this gen and they better hope they invested all the money they just 'printed' into some really nice stock because I smell a long disaster coming their way in a few years.

[iDavey @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:55PM]

@PG one shouldn't speak on business without understanding it.
The thing about Nintendo is they are purely gaming sector.
They're not like Sony and Microsoft; separate divisions in a bigger business.

Just like with the Gamecube...no one really bought the Gamecube, but Ninty was the only company to come up positive in profit out of the three.
Nintendo...despite all the doom and gloom forcasts...is not going anywhere. As long as there are the same folks who've been buying it for the last past 20 yrs, they will turn a profit, they will make money, and they will prosper.

I mean...even with the gaming consoles out the way...the DS generates enough to carry them.
So I wish folks would stop with the "Nintendo is doomed" prophecies...it hasnt happened int 20 yrs. I doubt it will anytime soon.

[sgrmba @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:44PM]

First - Anton cracked me up. Second - I am sold. I like the more interactive options. I feel more immersed in the game and I actually get up off the couch which qualifies and some sort of semi-miracle. I agree with the point made here - combining the higher end graphics with a highly sensitive motion control is the intersection of what I would like. I still like my Wii but sometimes I wish for a different graphical experience. Off-topic: Red Steel 2 art style is what I would like to see more of on the Wii.

[xconan @ Jun 3rd 2009 12:03AM]

it looks like a karaoke mic or some sort of sony hypno magic wand...

[Papytendo @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:35PM]

LOL

[FragShack @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:35PM]

oh man is that image so RIPE for a caption contest.

[Patrick @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:41PM]

Bend over Billy. It'll only hurt for a second.

[iLoveApple @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:49PM]

That's what she said.

[sacapuntas @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:51PM]

so you take the mini-tom servo and you proceed to....

[Samboini @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:57PM]

"So if blue is for male and red is for female, then pink must be for O FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NO. BILLY PLEASE TELL ME YOU DIDN'T SEE WHAT COLOUR THAT IS? I'm still your daddy OK?"

[Wes @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:59PM]

Colonoscopy Hero?

[Flit @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:25PM]

Using our magic wand, we can control this child behind me, who we have called Milo 2.0. By controlling this child, he can pick up a ps3 SIXAXIS controller and then you control actual games through him!

[Alan Strangis @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:48PM]

Clown Hero.

[HyDeph @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:14PM]

IMA CHARGIN MAH LAZORZ

[Rob @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:36PM]

I thought it was one of those light meters photographers use.

[Josh @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:38PM]

...........after that, if it turns red, your pregnant!