I shudder to think where video games would be today without Wii. There would still be games worth playing, but the focus on control, new ideas, and the realization of fresher experiences wouldn’t be as pronounced as they are now.
Like d-pads and analog sticks, motion control is now standard. Well, sort of. While Sony and Microsoft are expected to launch their motion controlling gadetry for PS3 and Xbox 360 next year, both products are add-on devices, not required devices like the Wii Remote is to the Wii. That will make it difficult for both Sony and Microsoft to rebrand their consoles that once scoffed at motion. Although often a portend of things to come, add-on products can never revolutionize an industry.
Nevertheless, I’m excited to see where these technologies go, especially as Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft ready their next consoles, which will have evolved motion control pre-programmed into their DNA. Imagine the possibilities, especially with all three companies trying to outdo each other. Should be fun.
On a side note, no other medium evolves as radically as video games’just one of the reasons that makes them so exciting to be a part of. So what do you think next-generation motion control will be like? What do you hope to see?