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How will Sony's Move play out?

Sony’s Move seems destined to have a rough launch between the continued success of Nintendo’s Wii and the imminent release of Microsoft’s Natal. At first, Move appears to be very similar to Wii’s control scheme and some of Natal’s control scheme, but there just might be something beyond the Mii-too mentality.

Right from the start, Move has already garnered negative renown: it’s a cash-in. From a similar look and feel to the Wiimote and Nunchuk combo—at a glance—to the thinly veiled Wiisports-like launch games, Move appears to be nothing more than Sony’s attempt to enter a market with potentially untapped (financial) resources. After all, if the industry is looking in one direction, a developer needs to be ready to run with it. These tend to be some of the initial impressions I have witnessed, often justifiably reached. Whatever sparks of creativity that may have fueled the Wii’s release, or even the buzz around the Natal, do not seem quite as strong with the Move. But there can be advantages to covering territory that other people might already be familiar with, especially if the experience can highlight why a product is different or even, perhaps, better. The more I peel back these first impressions, the more Move appears to be an honest, distinct effort made by Sony to tackle the motion-gaming market.

Move seems like it is simply a hashing together of already or soon-to-be-made industry success stories, namely Nintendo and Microsoft, but it does have unique differences. Move can be comprised of both Sony’s Eyetoy, a la Natal, and its motion controllers, a la Wii. Yet there are refinements to this combination. There does not appear to be as much of a need to eat up processing power like with Natal, nor is there a need for a Wii Motion Plus. The overall look and feel of Move arguably looks a little simpler, which lends itself a big favor. It heightens simplicity by separating some of the control’s complications into the subcontroller. The whole experience can be taken one step further by holding two of the orb-bearing controllers (making my unrealistic dual-wielding dreams that much closer to reality). Now a player can make use of that second controller if there is no trusty friend around to use it. That’s not to say the Wii hasn’t done this in some shape or form, but this approach allows the controllers to be used in a way that packs the most punch as opposed to using one without quite as much technology. As for other elements like the lack of a cord between the orb-bearing controller and the subcontroller to being able to not lose track of the Move when it goes off-screen? Even better.

The orb is probably Move’s most distinguishing feature. At first, it seems like it could be distracting, but it could be used in gameplay at some point, even if it ends up being used only for gameplay accuracy. Something that responds to gameplay in this fashion could prove interesting in addition to things like rumble, and it’s not a quality that either Nintendo or Microsoft currently posses.

One of the most argued points about Move is its overall resemblance to the Wiimote and Nunchuk. Now, I’m not saying that there shouldn’t be creativity here—I’d love to be able to have some amazing gyroscopic, magical resistance during a sword fight—but the average human is not going to be comfortable with lots of different angles and positions. Buttons are naturally going to end up in the same general area while our hands remain as the dominant input devices in games. The same set of arguments could be applied to typical console remotes across all systems. The only real change over the years is cosmetic with the addition or removal of some buttons. If tactile remotes are eschewed for a more Natal, free motion approach, attachments for the arms and legs, for example, may seem like a possible alternative. Such setups have not worked well in my experience, especially after ending up with a bloody toe while trying a karate game with attachments for the wrists and ankles (I’m skilled—that cabinet never saw it coming). Thus, Sony’s decision to use two controllers seems to be based on Nintendo’s success with the control scheme and the lack of comfortable alternatives.

There could be several reasons why Sony chose to mark their foray into motion control this way. Perhaps they did not want PS3 consumers to change the way they associate with the console too much, unlike with Natal. For example, Move controllers charge just like the normal PS3 controller. Either way, this approach behaves more like an extension than an addition to the PS3, one that fits with Sony’s historic viewpoint regarding motion control. Even real world interaction via the Eyetoy is still technically possible, I’m sure.

Another of Move’s major issues is the price point. Thus far, I do not think Sony will be very successful with Move’s launch due to its price range. Sony’s providing good justification, though, especially when other products like the Eyetoy are included. Even further, since the subcontroller currently doesn’t have any motion detection, it shouldn’t be too terribly pricey.

At this point, I think the hybridization of control and motion chosen by Sony seems like a natural, powerful step forward, and not so much a blatant rip-off of its competitors. Move still has some time to grow, and any significant judgments should be saved until Move’s release draws closer. Regardless, based on what I’ve seen at this stage, I do not see any reason why many, if not all, of the major promises Sony offers about Move can’t be realized.