June 18, 2009

The Next Big Thing: A Look at the Future of Motion Controllers
By: Steven Hopper

Are gamers ready for a controller-free future?

Say what you will about the console’s somewhat lackluster third-party offerings and comparatively weak graphics, the Wii has been an undeniable force in the world of gaming since it launched a few years ago. The console originally known as “the Revolution” has proven to live up to that moniker, breaking sales records and creating brand new gamers every day.

The Wii’s charm hasn’t just been felt amongst the general public, but other console makers are taking note of the Wii’s winning formula, as each of its competitors is hard at work at their own motion-sensing controllers. At their E3 press conference, Microsoft emphasized their belief that gamers are looking for a controller-free experience, touting their Project Natal device as the next step in videogames, while Sony showcased a motion sensing device of their own that will work in tandem with the EyeToy.

Microsoft’s Project Natal definitely wowed a lot of gamers with its seemingly limitless potential, but the assertion of a controller-free future is somewhat disconcerting. As a longtime gamer, I can appreciate what the future holds and laud both Microsoft and Sony for trying to learn from their biggest opponent in the marketplace while raising the bar a bit higher while they do it. However, there are some experiences that just seem to make sense with a controller, and would feel ultimately hollow without one.

The Burnout Paradise demo was one thing that raised a few questions in me. Don’t get me wrong, I found the whole thing to be extremely impressive, as you could control the car by pushing your foot down on an invisible pedal and using an invisible steering wheel, which was pretty awesome to see in action. However, there are quite a few other control functions that go into a racing game, such as handbrakes, turbo boosters, and several others that don’t seem like they’d be as easy to pull off in a game like Burnout Paradise without a controller. If Microsoft means to replace the entire controller experience, these are some things that need to be considered.

While impressive, the Burnout Paradise controller-free demo does raise a lot of questions.

Another area that could hurt the controller-free revolution is developer based. While the Wii has offered motion control support from day one, you can’t deny that many devs have yet to take full advantage of it. Whereas traditional games may require button presses to perform actions, waving the controller back and forth to get the same results in a Wii game isn’t any more immersive, and doesn’t really add much innovation. Hopefully, when Natal and Sony’s device launch, developers will know how to utilize them to their fullest potential in order to avoid the pitfalls of gimmicky gameplay that doesn’t add a lot to videogaming as a whole.

However, on the whole, I’d have to say that I’m very excited for the possibilities that these controllers present. Console manufacturers seem to realize the need to support their systems longer than a few years, and by pushing the boundaries of current hardware in great new ways, it not only keeps gamers on a budget from having to replace their system and games every time the Olympics roll around, it also gives developers a chance to grow comfortable with the hardware and really get the most out of it.

Additionally, as we’re faced with a pretty sizable financial crunch these days, it makes more sense to try to create new experiences from what hardware gamers already have at their disposal as well as get more mainstream support from first-time gamers, and controller-free gameplay on existing systems seems like a great way to do that. If done right, the motion control movement really could be the next big thing for even the most cynical console gamers.

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