A PS3 motion controller will be unveiled at this year’s E3 games expo. The existence of such a device has been the subject of speculation since 2007, but now new reports are claiming it’ll be ready later this year.
PS3 motion control has been limited to the standard Sixaxis/Dualshock 3 controllers so far. However, games developers have largely ignored the waggling controls and been slow to add them to game.
That could change with Sony’s launch of a proper motion controller, in the vein of Nintendo’s Wii remote.
The new as yet unnamed motion controller is said to be a bit more like that of the Nintendo Wii – a dedicated, wand-shaped controller than is designed to be wielded as a sword, tennis raquet, golf club, etc. and enable more natural interaction with a game.
We first saw what was said to be a prototype of the PS3 Motion Controller about a year ago. No real details were available, though, and it was assumed that the idea had been shelved. With the Wii battering other consoles last Xmas, however, Sony may have decided to go for it.
The new Motion Controller is said to use infra-red LEDs that are tracked by a small webcam-like device. This can apparently give much finer control than that found on the Wii and enable tracking in the Z-axis (in and out of the screen) – something the Wiimote struggles with.
Sony is yet to confirm that the PS3 Motion Controller even exists, but Variety is reporting two ‘sources’ as claiming it will be wheeled on stage at this years E3 gaming expo for a possible Christmas release.
