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The head of Electronic Arts, the world’s largest publisher of video games, said that the company would support both Microsoft Natal and Sony’s yet-unnamed motion-sensing game controllers. The claim again implies that the Natal will be available in 2010. Besides, the statement indicates that motion-sensing controllers are about to become de-facto standard for future video games.
“I would lump [Microsoft Natal] up with what is going on with Sony, with their new motion-based controller. We are really positive on both. Our view is that motion-based gaming is something that is both going to drive installed base, drive interest, and drive growth. So, we are positive overall and we are planning to support both. We have not yet announced our plans to do so, but we shall do so at the right time frame for that, which is likely to be early to mid-2010,” said John Riccitiello, chief executive officer of Electronic Arts, in a conference call with financial analysts
Although the chief exec of Electronic Arts did not reveal any concrete plans, it is highly likely that games, which take advantage of Microsoft Natal, will also take advantage of Sony’s motion-sensing device and vice versa. As a result, video games utilizing the new controllers are likely to be essentially the same on both platforms. Moreover, titles that do not require extensive computing power may be released for all three platforms that currently exist: Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation 3.
In fact, motion-sensing controllers available for all three consoles mean that motion-based gaming is becoming a de-facto standard and gamepads, joysticks, wheels and other controllers will be used much less in future.
It will be interesting to see whether titles available on all three video game consoles will make it to the personal computers, which do not currently have solid motion-sensing controllers that could replicate what will be offered for the consoles and would be supported by game developers.
Tags: Microsoft, Natal, Sony, Playstation, Nintendo, Wii, Electronic Arts
