The Geek Church

For years, Nintendo has dominated the gaming market of wireless controllers with the Wii Remote for their console. Now Microsoft and Sony are both plotting to dethrone the Wii with new wireless controllers for their own gaming systems and convert Nintendo fans over to their side. Microsoft calls their master plan, Project Natal. However, Sony has already unveiled their concept for a new wireless controller this past Wednesday, hoping to take an early lead on toppling the Wii Remote’s popularity.

At the Game Developers Conference, Sony presented their new concept called the Move. This new wireless controller resembles a microphone but has a ball-shaped object on top of it that contains a LED inside. According to Sony, the Move is their next step in continuing the motion controller era that they believed started with their Eye Toy. Set to be released this fall, the Move will be available for about $100 or less and a PlayStation eye camera and a game will also be included with it. This wireless controller will also come with an accessory called an sub-controller, which seems to be PlayStation’s version of the Wii Nunchuk.

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It would appear that the Wiimote will no longer have the monopoly on motion-control, as Sony has formally announced that they will have a Motion Controller for the PS3.

This Motion Controller will use motion sensors, and will required the Playstation Eye camera in order to make it work. The camera can recognize and track the player’s face, as well as their voice and body motion. It also has motion sensors, three axes gyroscope and three axes accelerometer to tell the Motion controller’s current angle. As you see from the picture, it resembles the Wiimote, save for the sphere on top. Apparently, the ball on top glow in various colors depending on where the user is in the room, and there even rumors of a rumble feature.

So far, there hasn’t been any word on what video games that it will work with. Perhaps Sony will have to set up a whole new line of WiiSports-ish games that are designed to work with this lollipop-shaped controller.

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