2010 will bring us some great games. Really great games. In fact, the games have already started with the release of Mass Effect 2, and BioShock 2 in two weeks. But 2010 will also bring something else. Microsoft and Sony will be bringing their first tries at motion control with Natal and the Wand, respectively. These are definitely interesting and unique pieces of hardware, and are much anticipated. Unfortunately, they have been the victim of mixed feelings. Some people love the idea of motion controls like Natal. They feel it is going to add not only a great place for casual games but a great place for new hardcore games, too. Many feel that casual games are the only thing that these technologies can do, and they just can't support the hardcore. Others feel motion control is a waste of time, and any implementation in hardcore games will most certainly ruin them.
I have always felt since the widespread success of the Wii that motion control was almost guaranteed to show up in Microsoft's and Sony's consoles. There is no denying that the idea of a new way to control a game is intriguing, and as proven by the Wii, successful if done correctly. Microsoft and Sony are doing something different however. They aren't just creating a Wiimote with a 360 guide button on it. They are doing unique and different motion controls. Because of this uniqueness, many developers have started to create games for the platform, and many hardcore developers have been sent dev kits by Microsoft and Sony to toy around with. Should a gamer be concerned? Is it justified for someone to worry if their favorite franchise will be ruined because of motion control? Or should the masses be quiet?
It's a mixed bag. Let's start with Natal. Natal is different from the Wii motion control is several ways. First, it has no controls. Your body is the sole control. This is the main feature of Natal, and this is what seperates it from competition. Microsoft seems to be employing a two-way strategy with Natal. First, they recognize that the majority of success the Wii has gained has been from casual gamers. This is why Natal is aimed at being a great casual gamer machine. As shown by the demo game "Ricochet", Natal can be a great and unique casual gaming platform. It does everything a Wii does without the need for a control. You can even get a work out with Natal without having to buy a board to stand on. However, Microsoft also realizes the potential Natal has to appeal to the hardcore. Unlike the Wii, Natal will be up next to an already strong console, the Xbox 360. Microsoft would love for some hardcore appeal games to utilize Natal in some way. Whether this be by menu navigation or waving your hand to issue squad commands, the possibilities for Natal to be in the hardcore world are endless. This is because of the nature of the tech, as it is just a camera, not a new system or controller. To summarize, Microsoft is prioritizing an all-around experience with Natal where it will have multiple functions in multiple areas.
But what about the PS3 Wand? Sony has recovered from its initial sales slump this past year. PS3's are beginning to sell, and Sony will surely take advantage of this. Just like Microsoft, Sony has created more that just a peripheral. While MS has taken out the controls, Sony seems to have refined, making their wand more responsive, more reliable, and cooler that a WiiMote. Couple that with the abilities of the PS3 Eye camera, and Sony has a great technology. Sony is not aiming towards the casual, it seems. Sony feels their new control can be full implemented in any game, including existing hardcore franchises. They want their devs to make games that are not necessarily casual only. They want the Wand to be much more core Sony fans focused, while still competing on the market. They are also taking advantage of the fact that they have the same amount of responsiveness supposedly as Natal with an actual controller for tactile feedback. Sony wants to make the Wand a new way for devs to make games, not just a new implementation.
No one can say for sure what the developers have been up to with this new tech. We still probably will have no idea what to expect in terms of software until E3. For now, here's what I feel gamers should think. Motion control is something that should be welcomed. In an industry that thrives on innovation, new ways to play should always be welcomed. Although the Wii may not appeal to the hardcore as much as the 360 and the PS3 do, it still accomplishes something. It's currently the only place you can get full motion control games that appeal to most ages. It only makes sense MS and Sony want a piece of this goldmine. And just as the Wii has gravitated towards the casual more and more, so will the new motion tech. Real hardcore games with the gamepad won't ever completely go away. If someone doesn't like it though, they don't have to buy it.
It is undeniable, however, that some devs will most likely try to put some Natal in their games (looking at you, Cliffy...). How this will eventually end up is anyone's guess. Will some games try to overextend themselves by using too much Natal? Probably one or two. But my guess is that just as hardcore has failed to appeal on the Wii, too much motion implementation will not appeal to the hardcore even if it's in a hardcore franchise. Games that use a gamepad and are good at using the gamepad will stay that way. Developers should find out quite quickly that too much motion will ruin their games. They will also learn that less is more. In my opinion, many hardcore games will only succeed in motion control if they use it with a gamepad, and sparingly at that. It will be the games that use motion for menu navigation or squad commands that will do well and show that motion can be used in games. Here's the catch. Natal can do this, but the Wand cannot. Sony is positioning it's motion control as a fully new way to control. In my opinion, it will have a much harder time catching any hardcore appeal rather than Natal.
Verdict: don't worry. In my opinion, most games should stay to the core of the way they are meant to be controlled. Some games may try to implement motion, and some may go full out with motion, but devs will learn what works and what doesn't in time. Many will find that the casual will be the main market for motion, but that motion does have possibilities to go further into gaming. And, as always, if you don't like something, don't buy it. As for franchises, I think many will slowly try at something in terms of motion. Gears, in my opinion, will not be full motion controlled. I would expect squad commands (as there are rumors that say Gears 3 will be squad based). The heavier franchise with motion should be Fable III. Lionhead seems to be increasingly interested in Natal, and Fable III will probably use it quite a bit. Only when it is released will we really see if it works or not. Finally, I expect many RTS's to get the motion treatment. The controls work well with this kind of tech.
See you next week.
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