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I Guess PlayStation Move Died A Quiet, Unloved Death

Ben-Dutka 32 Comments

I said it from the start: Motion sensing is a gimmick, not the future of the industry.

Now that it has mostly fallen by the wayside, we hear gaming executives talk about it in the past tense. Note the words of Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida in a recent Pocket-Lint interview :

"Motion gaming was a big thing, but, like with social games, dance games, music or guitar games, I don't think there's a lot of appetite for another motion game at this moment."

Yoshida did add that Move was an "accurate 3D input device" and it was "a bit ahead of its time." It will also help pave the way for Sony's new virtual reality initiative, Project Morpheus. However, it's pretty clear that Move has basically stopped "moving" (forgive the pun), as developers haven't done much to support the peripheral. There was a time when a whole lot of games automatically supported Move, and even a few that were designed specifically for the motion-sensing accessory.

But those days are over now. It's interesting that Sony just sort of let the PlayStation Move fizzle out; they never made any sort of announcement concerning the device, right? Now, it seems like people have already forgotten Move…either that, or they just don't care.

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So…We’re All Done With PlayStation Move Now, Right?

Ben-Dutka 25 Comments

I mean, we haven't heard anything about it in quite some time, and Sony never even mentions it anymore.

It's over, right? Done?

I suppose the question is this: Do gamers want it to be done? Granted, we never really got those AAA Move games (never even got one, unless you count Sorcery ), but the unit had plenty of potential. Developers probably just needed more time to refine their approach. Too many Move games were somewhat inaccurate and about a million times too sensitive, in my opinion.

Chances are, we won't be seeing much in the way of Move-related products on the PlayStation 4. It just didn't catch on, despite Sony selling – what? – like 10-15 million units, or something like that? For a while there, it was outselling Kinect, and the device was getting better reviews than Kinect, too. What happened? Did Microsoft just make Kinect better, while Sony neglected Move? It almost seems like Move has the same problem as the Vita currently has, which is a lack of developer support.

I'm really not sure I care, though. I viewed motion-sensing as a gimmick from the start. Some thought it was the future of gaming but I never once believed that. Did you?

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So…Do We Still Care About Move?

Ben-Dutka 27 Comments

It's a new generation…what will happen with the PlayStation Move?

We haven't heard anything about the Move in quite some time; Sony doesn't readily reveal sales numbers, there aren't any games designed specifically for Move on the horizon, and in general, it's just not getting any headlines.

I'm wondering if those who have Sony's motion sensing tech still care about it, and I'm also wondering if Sony has any future plans for it. The PlayStation 4 is out, after all, and you'd think we'd hear about some new PS4 games that take advantage of Move. Except…well, all I know is that my Move controllers are gathering dust, and I can't imagine a reason to pick 'em up again. How many times can me and my girlfriend play Sports Champions ?

Thing is, we forget that Move sold remarkably well during those first few years. The technology has plenty of potential, too; it just needed to be refined by ambitious developers. We never got that AAA killer app, though, and I think that's what has held it back. The anticipated Sorcery was good but it wasn't that good and since then, the Move has sorta fallen off the radar.

What do you think will become of the Move this generation?

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PSXE Poll Update: Move Won’t Gain Much Traction Next Gen

Ben-Dutka 14 Comments

Some believe that motion sensing will become more advanced in the next generation. As a result, devices like PlayStation Move will become more popular.

But that's not what the majority of our readers think. While a great many do expect Move to do better when the PlayStation 4 arrives, most think Sony's motion-sensing system won't gain much traction. They say popularity will stay about the same.

Personally, I'm surprised at how many Move units Sony has sold. It's not a bad mechanic; it just lacks any top-notch AAA software. And it also seems as if Sony has stopped trying to produce that one killer app for the Move. Plenty of games these days are Move compatible but that's typically just an option, as the titles aren't clearly made for the peripheral. I can't decide if Sony should just try harder, or simply not bother. I've never cared about Move and I don't think I would in the future, no matter how advanced it got. But others may feel differently.

This week, we look to the future. Specifically, we wonder how Sony will fare in the PlayStation marketing realm in the next generation. Promoting their first-party titles has been an issue for the company in the past, and many say Sony needs to do a lot more. Do you think Sony will step up their marketing game when the PS4 hits? Or will we still have difficulty finding an Uncharted 4 commercial?

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PSXE Poll Update: PS4 Has What It Takes To Win Next-Gen

Ben-Dutka 16 Comments

Most recent polls have put the PlayStation 4 significantly ahead of the Xbox One in terms of consumer popularity.

Over the course of 2013, since Sony's new machine was announced in February, the headlines have been overwhelmingly positive. The result could end up being a big win for the PS4 in the next-generation console war.

At least, that's what our readers believe. The key will be the US market. Microsoft has owned it for the entirely of the current generation; the PS3 never really had a chance at winning out in this country. It has surpassed the Xbox 360 in terms of worldwide sales (and in one year less time on the market), but the US is Xbox territory. So, if Sony can actually compete favorably on American soil with the PS4, they should have the next generation all sewn up. But there's a long way to go and anything can happen…no point in making predictions now, correct?

This week, we want your views on PlayStation Move. Do you see it finally coming into its own in the next generation? Or do you think it will continue to be largely overlooked by many hardcore gamers? Let us know.

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Hey Sony, PlayStation Move Still Needs A Big-Time Killer App

Ben-Dutka 46 Comments

The PlayStation Move hasn't suffered terrible sales. Quite the contrary, in fact.

And yet, if it really wants to make any more significant strides, it's going to require a AAA elite killer app, which it has not yet received. For a while, many thought that title could be Sorcery , but while solid and entertaining, it didn't really qualify. It was simply too short and nowhere near involved enough for the hardcore.

Sony said when they launched the Move that they wished to cater to hardcore gamers, that they desired to deliver top-notch experiences the long-time veterans would enjoy. However, I still only want to play the Sports Champions games and that's about it. Personally, I think there's a very small percentage of hardcore gamers who have any interest in using the Move for a AAA production like Uncharted 4 or something. There's a limitation to the motion-sensing technology, and one notices that upon playing just about anything with Move (or Kinect).

So not only does Move need an attention-generating killer app, that game also needs to make the avid gamer stand up and take notice. Move works well with some shooters but other than that, my Move controllers mostly just gather dust. I think what all Move owners want is something unique and special; not merely a slightly better experience than what they'd get on other platforms. I just have no idea what sort of game would allow the Move to shine in the eyes of the hardcore…

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