Is This How The PS3 Wand Will Look?

We've seen many prototypes of what the PS3 Wand will look like, but nothing concrete. Well the folks at T3 have done a fantastic job at coming with what they think the motion device will look like.

Go check it out for yourself, it's pretty artistic stuff mind you.

The PS3 Wand will be available in Spring of next year and John Koller of Sony Computer Entertainment America has been talking it up as the best that will be on the market. Who knows what the future holds? At least he has total confidence in the success of his device. We do too.

12/18/09 Ernice Gilbert

Wii And Natal Should Be Warned, PS3 Wand Is Coming To Town

SCEA executive John Koller said the company is confident in the power of the PS3 Wand.

"We look at motion control as being that much more than what exist on the market," Koller told Gamepro. "The Holy Grail of gaming is placing you as the consumer into the game physically. We provide further details, people will see exactly where we're going."

Koller notes that the PS3 Wand will work with a "real wide variety" of genres. "The areas that are going to be really critical to our success will be family games, as well as shooters and sports games."

"Those are going to be the areas that really define success, because they're areas that quite honestly, I think Project Natal and Wii are going to have trouble matching, from a differentiation standpoint."

In 2010, the company will focus on three pillars: 3D gaming, Motion Controls and PSN, you can also expect a lot of firmware updates. " A lot of what you'll see in terms of changes to the PS3 are going to be done through firmware for the foreseeable future. There's a lot of features and functions we have planned there. I think that 2010 will be a big year for that," he added.

Koller then delve into the games, the exclusive lineup that separates the PS3. "Going into the back half of the year, we have a number of key launches. We haven't really announced all of them yet, but the titles that will be launching at that time are going to be very exciting.

"Some of the big franchises, as well as new IPs have new ways to game, not motion control gaming, but in other ways. It's going to be a really strong lineup."

Via Gamepro.

12/18/09 Ernice Gilbert

3D + Wand + Exclusives = Win for PS3's Future

Lights, camera, action! It came on the scene in 2006 and the events that played out thereafter could be pulled directly from a story detailing the good fortunes of someone gone bad and eventually came right back to their former glory. I don't work at Sony, but when looking at what the company has in store for the PS3, including the endless possibilities of Blu-ray, Wand Controller, the second to none exclusive lineup, PSN, Home, and stereoscopic 3D gaming, there's no other way to the visualize it in my mind. The PS3's future has 'win' written all over it. Let's take them one at a time...

The "Wand Controller" -

Some might think Nintendo was the company which started the motion trend but they're totally wrong. So wrong that we had to provide proof to demonstrate not only did Sony started the trend, but what they had back then with the PS2 Eye Toy challenges the likes of Microsoft's Project Natal. The mistake Sony made was not capitalizing on the wave; literally giving millions of consumers away to Nintendo and affording the company to make billions of dollars, some of what could have been the electronics giant's cash.

Now they've gone back full throttle to their roots with what is universally known as the "Wand". Sony has yet to name the device but the prototype looks extremely promising. And if the PS2 Eye Toy was ahead of its time, there's not a doubt that the "Wand" will be an amazing motion device. Quench your thirst with the video below.

Blu-ray -

It is no secret that the decision Sony made to include a Blu-ray player in the PS3's build instead of settling for a DVD format, caused the hardware giant a lot of pain. Firstly, it caused the massive PS3 shortages at launch because back then the technology was brand new and components were scarce. It also was very expensive, adding to the amount loss on every console sold by a great percentage. Blu-ray is the reason the PS3's initial price was $699, a stretch for even the most avid Sony supporter.

But now everyone is singing Blu-ray's praises. Developers are now starting to realize the full potential of the format and are thanking Sony for taking such a risk. It is also future-proof for at least the next 7 years and even beyond. And while the Xbox 360 is stuck with the DVD format, limiting the amount of content that can be squeezed into one disc, PS3 has room to rent. It's a big win for Sony.

PSN -

Say what you may about Xbox Live being leaps and Bounds over PSN, but it's just not true. Yes, Xbox Live has been around longer but that fact simply adds more credence as to why PSN is a formidable and even better in many ways experience. First and foremost the service is free. No need to pay monthly fees to play games online; if you have a PS3 and broadband internet connection then jump online and kick some butt. Also the content available on the network is growing rapidly, the exclusives like flower, flow, and many others help bolster the unique offerings only to be had on PSN.

The network has over 27 million registered users, membership is not limited to PS3 owners, but it includes folks with PSPs.

Home -

Although it's a work in progress, Home has seen its population grow from zero to over 9 million members in less than three years. Astounding figures when you link that with the fact that you really can't do much in the custom-made for PS3 social network. You can't jump into an online battle straight from Home, a function that would help. But there's a plethora of great offerings as well: 3D space, apartments, great interaction, meet and make friends and so much more. Is Home where Sony envisioned it to be? I doubt it, but it's surely not where it was 2 years ago.

The exclusives -

We've talked about this time and time again, and there's no need to go into detail; Sony's exclusive lineup for 2010 and beyond is one that's hard to beat:

God of War III

Heavy Rain

Gran Turismo 5

Agent

Killzone 3

Resistance 3

The Last Guardian

White Knight Chronicles

Final Fantasy Versus XIII

ModNation Racers

MAG

Yakuza 3

inFamous 2

Syphon Filter

Twisted Metal

And many more. Now don't think that the Xbox 360 has no exclusives; that's not true by a long short but it's fair to say that the PS3 has some games that any gamer would love to get the hands on coming in the near future.

3D -

I saved the best for last; and believe it or not, 3D gaming will be the next big thing and PS3 is leading the way.

Sony recently announced that 3D gaming is coming to the PS3 via a firmware update in 2010. The giant will be the first in the gaming industry to take full advantage of stereoscopic 3D entertainment, leaving the Wii and Xbox 360 in PS3's dust. The electronics giant recently showed off Polyphony Digital and Evolution's MotorStorm with full depth of field using the emerging 3D display technology.

But there's more, Sony says it also plans to integrate the stereoscopic 3D technology directly into the PS3 beginning in 2011 or 2012. The company has thrown its weight behind the tech and last month, a full presentation was given to investors.

I hope you're now convinced (if you were not already) that PS3 has a bright and enduring future. And if all goes well, the years ahead could be better than anything we've experienced as gamers in this industry. Should be fun.

12/17/09 Ernice Gilbert

Sony: "Gem" was prototype for its wand controller, not the real name

Yesterday EA boss John Riccitiello leaked that Sony's unnamed wand had already received a name which is "Gem". But Sony has slapped Johnny's "confirmation" right out of the house saying, "The term 'Gem' was an early code name for the product," SCEA bossman Pratrick Seybold told Kotaku. "We haven't announced a final name at this point."

So Mr. Riccitiello's blurt at the UBS Global Media and Communications conference has been rendered useless.

But Gem don't sound too bad does it? It's better than Wand.

12/10/09 Ernice Gilbert