E3: Greenberg: PS3 wand is "fun" like Wii

June 4th, 2009, 19:28 Posted By: wraggster

Xbox 360 bigwig Aaron Greenberg thinks Sony's motion-sensing wand for PS3 will share the same "fun" space as Wii, but believes Microsoft's Project Natal is "leapfrogging" them both.

"To me it looked similar to the Wii experience. You hold a remote or a wand: it looked very derivative of that - similar to other products on the market today," Greenberg told vg247. "I thought it was interesting and fun, just like the Wii is fun. I think it's great that they're sharing that space.

"What's clear is that what we're doing is, in many ways, leapfrogging over any of the experiences [demoed] today. We're trying to breakthrough... with a new controller in gaming and entertainment, and I think that will differentiate us, and in many ways remove another barrier to people who are intimidated by, not just controllers, but wands and having to push buttons and do things.

"To be able to just drive a car with your hands, or to be able to kick balls as you swing and kick your feet. It's a whole different type of experience," he added.

Microsoft and Sony both unveiled rival motion-sensing technology during their keynote addresses at E3. Microsoft revealed Project Natal, the heavily-rumoured camera-based motion sensor, which hopes to kick-start a controller-free future.

Sony, on the other hand, demoed a prototype wand controller that has in-built sensors like Wii but also a dome on the end that is picked up by the PS Eye. The technology was put through a number of on-stage demonstrations, each more impressive than the other, culminating in an archery mini-game that used two of the controllers at once.

Nintendo's conference was more subdued in comparison, but then the Wii already has motion-sensing, which improves this summer with the Wii MotionPlus peripheral.

Microsoft and Sony offered no release dates for their technology, and Greenberg wouldn't budge on providing a hint. Presumably his company will enter the market first, as developer kits have been sent out this week and Project Natal is finished hardware. Nevertheless, both could be at least two years' away.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/e3...-wii-greenberg

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