Sony says PS3 motion controller was codenamed 'Gem,' might or might not actually be called Gem
By Donald Melanson 
posted December 10th 2009 11:58AM
posted December 10th 2009 11:58AM
We never heard much more of the rumored Sphere codename for Sony's PlayStation 3 motion controller since it cropped up a few months ago, but it looks like we now finally have another name for it besides "PlayStation Motion Controller." That word initially came from EA's John Riccitiello, who let slip the name "Gem" during his talk at the UBS 37th Annual Global Media Conference when speaking about Sony's and Microsoft's new motion controllers. Just odd enough to work? Well, not so fast, as Sony would only go so far as to confirm to Kotaku that Gem was "an early code name for the product," adding that they "haven't announced final name at this point." Not exactly a full-on non-denial denial, to be sure, but it would seem that the door for Gem is at least open a tiny crack.
[Thanks, Aaron]
[Thanks, Aaron]
Um, so that was a Gem of a name?
I think the name "The Vibe" would work much better for this product.
Yeah, that has a cool vibe to it
@MarcusMaximus
I see what you did there >_>
@MarcusMaximus add "rator" to the end of that and you've got yourself a customer
Wow...that picture is funny to me...looks like he worshiping the PS3 dildo..behold!
@southern78. If you have ever seen a dildo with a glowing ball at the end of it.....well, I'd be scared
@PATRICKmcnicholl While I agree...I still get a chuckle out of the guy's facial expression and the way he is holding it. Sorry guys..back on topic.
@southern78. Yes, and the admiration the other guy has for him holding it that way. Tee hee
They should call it 'Playstation Orb'
@PATRICKmcnicholl
no
it looks like a dildo. but youre a ps3 fanboy so youre in denial
But is it truly outrageous?
@CHA1N5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSLhrIuAZak
@CHA1N5 "truly, truly, truly outrageous."
@CHA1N5 it seems that you have confused Gem with the artist known as Jem
Called it "The Tickler"
may or may not?
Playstation: The Official Magazine is currently taking names for subscribers on what to call the "Wand"
So SONY may actually not have a name for it at the moment, because they are probably waiting to see what the Public General Concensus wants it to be called.
@BMills: Of course they are. They codenamed it the "gem" and it looks like it does. They know the eff'd up in the design of it and that people don't like it. I understand it tracks the glowing ball, but it could have been implemented so much better. They just released this tidbit of info on the name "gem" because they want to see people's reactions. No matter what they call it...it's still ugly
They should've named it the Jem after the hit 80's cartoon...
@Rick James It looks like shes using Sony's "Gem" in the intro. Sony must have been planning this for a veeeery long time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20BZID081Vk
@Rick James
LOL! Nice!
Call it "The Vibrator" and it can be sold on a dildo stand, too.
@ahmedyamout
It really doesn't look like a vibrator. It looks more like a microphone than anything.
This will be the end of the Playstation. Count on it.
@engfant I agree - everyone will be too busy buying Playstation 3's instead.
I think the PS3 Wand (or Wands if it's dual hand) is a good name.
Make me think I'm magic, but I still want to know what in the world it does.
@zero1221
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMDHz9InzNk
@Chris Aversa Sweet, might just make me buy a PS3.
Well, "Gem" is better than "Light Dildo" I guess.
Turd...
poop
♫ But we're micro$oft,
Our natals better!
We are micro$oft (micro$oft),
We're gonna get Gem! ♫
Oh come on call it Gem... give it a gay name to go with its gay look... The Wii mote might have seemed like you were playing with your prom wangler, but this looks like something a 7 year old girl in a blue or pink dress would be waving around acting like a faerie
@3dpenguin
Well, despite your derogatory use of 'gay', this device is intended to try and help gain marketshare with groups not traditionally associated with PlayStation3 - including those very social groups you mock. It hasn't done the Wii any harm has it? I'm pretty sure Sony doesn't care if it's profits are 'gay'.
@TC
I have nothing against the homosexual community, but the term gay does apply to this device, it looks compleatly stupid, and targeting alternative markets with them has never worked in the past, the problem is Sony insted of being inventive is trying to syphen off other peoples success, and doing a lame job at it. You know how many knock off motion control systems there are out there? These systems are more likely to get the population than the "Gem" because the pricing point is much cheaper. The Wii mote isn't exactly the most masculin thing on the planet, even though it has been often parrodied as a phalic symbol, but this is just taking it to the childish level.
@3dpenguin
In promotion of the English language as it should be, gay means fun and yes I think it does look like fun. Perhaps it should be called a GayMoCon.
How did we let the homos steal that word?
Personally I think this will be blinding success.
- Wii Developers have barely exploited the potential of the Motion Controllers in large part because multi platform games are financial more attractive. How many Wii owners do you see still playing the Wii Sports game?
- I find it too difficult to believe that Natal can do all it promises without eating into the Xbox's processing power. This will leave the developers compromising the graphics and sound on games. Embarking on such different technology will also leave it with the same issue which Wii suffers from... smaller market to develop for.
- It feels like the PS3 Motion Controllers should open the door to all the Wii games for those up to the retooling challenge. Avid Wii game players will then aspire to better graphics, sound, blu ray and bluetooth capabilities the PS3 can only offer.
Who will want a Wii when you can do the same but better with the PS3 in all it HD glory and it can play blurays the new HD standard? Bear in mind that HDTVs are now far more accessible.
Who will want an Xbox when the developers want to get there games on the easier to develop for PS3 Motion Controllers?
Wow 3 Years after the Wii and they are still trying to catch-up
That looks clunky. It looks like a ripoff of a motion capture camera used to capture live motion for animations.
-Jeff
@(Unverified)
Odd you should mention that... its using the Playstation Eye to track, they are going to charge $90+ for a basic PS3 controller with a light on the end of it... and then you have to buy the camera too... shear genius!
@(Unverified) people kill me with that....
this has been in the works since 2003....and was SUPPOSE to come out on PS2 for use with the EyeToy.....
@(Unverified)
Its all about the SW, if they can put out better games than Nintendo, who cares who came up with it first. Nintendo repackaged a Gamecube with a gimmicky controller and made a Bajillion dollars. Its business and competition always makes it better for everyone.
@jayleigh But motion controls is a "Gimmick" that won't last long......ohhh wait.
Must be a slow news day...
I agree.
They should bitch-slap Nintendo by naming it "Revolution" and creating a revolutionary ad campaign to go with the name.
I'm sticking with the Sony Disco Stick.
@CubeGuy Yeah... there we go... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/CubeGuy/sonydiscostick.jpg
dildo
Lesbians would say this thing looks heterosexual.
I think the video of the sony-motion controller on its 'designing phase' was a bit more exhilarating than this 'gem' one. http://bit.ly/sony-motion-controller-before -- But I'm still crossing my fingers that they do change the design of the stick..
this thing looks so gay looks like a vibrator
not everything should be motion control