GDC: Sony's Motion Controller Is 'PlayStation Move'

At a GDC press conference on Wednesday, Sony revealed more details about its PlayStation 3 motion controller, which isn't called Arc or Gem as previously rumored, but "PlayStation Move." Sony Computer Entertainment America marketing head Peter Dille said, as part of a Gamasutra-attended offsite press event: "We like to think this is the next generation of motion gaming." Sony plans to sell the device in three different packages: a standalone controller, a bundle with the required PlayStation Eye camera, motion controller and game, and a bundle with PS3 hardware, motion controller, PlayStation Eye and game. Dille said that Sony is targeting a price point of under $100 for the camera, controller, and game bundle. Sony emphasized controller latency with the Move is under one frame, same as the DualShock 3. Dille promised a more precise gaming experience than current motion control offerings, and Sony hopes that the increased precision will attract more hardcore gamers who may have "looked down their noses" at the Nintendo Wii. Like Microsoft with its Project Natal motion gaming solution, Sony will be treating the launch of PlayStation move like a new console launch. SCEA marketing will target a wide variety of marketing venues, from TV, retail and online for the product. "This is our biggest effort of the year," Dille said. SOCOM developer Zipper Interactive was also on hand to reveal that the upcoming SOCOM 4 will allow gamers to play through the entire game using a PlayStation Move controller and a wireless "sub-controller" with an analog stick that is held in the other hand. With SOCOM 4, players will use the Move to control the camera, and the sub-controller to control the character. Sony also showed off Move compatibility with LittleBigPlanet, which will be updated to support the new controller. Users will be able to use Move as a pointer in order to edit levels, for example. A multi-game pack called Sports Champions included a ping pong game and a sword- and shield-wielding game that can be used with a move controller in each hand. Another new game, Motion Fighters is an over-the-shoulder bare fist fighting game that can also utilize two motion controllers. “We've got a lot of wind at our back," said Dille, referring to games like Killzone 2, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, MAG, Heavy Rain, White Knight Chronicles, MLB The Show and the relaunch of the PlayStation 3 "slim" model. With God of War III coming this month, Dille has high hopes for Sony's first calendar quarter. "[God of War III] will be a multi-million seller, this will be a platform seller," he said.