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Mock-up image of PlayStation Arc; Developer confirms ‘nunchuck’

Patrick Steen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:28:48 +0000

Development sources have now had their say on whether the PlayStation 3's motion control solution will come with both the 'Wand' and a 'nunchuck.' Following the expansion of our article around the web, the answer is 'yes' and now we can bring you a pretty accurate representation of what the pair will look like. We reported on the rumoured button configuration of PlayStation Arc (development name) in our previous story, with an apparent well contacted NeoGAF forumite being informed by an eager inside source. One headline many websites liked to feature was the inclusion of a 'nunchuck-like' controller to complement the previously demoed 'Wand,' a rumour we brought you last month. The question is whether such a contraption actually exists at Sony's headquarters, and according to a source over at Develop-Online, the Wand will indeed work alongside an optional nunchuck-style add-on. Their source further added that "even though the controller's final execution will be 'reminiscent' to the Wii, the familiar elements provide scope for those working on Nintendo's platform to 'upgrade' their ideas to the HD rival PS3." Sony is expected to unveil the latest PlayStation Arc prototype at the Game Developer's Conference tonight, but following our insight into the accessory's button configuration, we thought we'd bring you a quick and dirty mock-up as produced by NeoGAF member dose and confirmed to be "very close" to the real thing by man of the moment ichinisan. He's even bet a forum ban on his leaks being correct. We'll bet a bacon-and-egg sarny here at PlayStation University. You'll notice that the 'nunchuck,' on the left, is a little longer than the Wii's, but we understand that'll it'll be a little less curvy than shown in this picture. Also, don't forget there'll be a few buttons on the back of each controller. Oh and before you imagine holding these two in your hands, we'd like you to think of Tiger Woods and his shenanigans for a brief moment, since EA has today confirmed that Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11 will support the PS3 motion controller.

Button config. of PlayStation Arc revealed

Patrick Steen — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:42:49 +0000

Sony's full fledged answer to motion-control gaming beyond the Sixaxis will be on its way to the PlayStation 3 later this year with a healthy number of exclusive games. The system will make use of the PlayStation Eye, what we've previously nicknamed the 'Wand' and an additional wireless controller that's similar to the Wii's 'nunchuck'. We can now reveal the button configuration of each controller within the 'PlayStation Arc' set. You may remember dual-wielding of the PlayStation Wand during Sony's first presentation and later Capcom using the Wand and a Dualshock controller to play a motion-control version of Resident Evil 5. These occurences have apparently influenced Sony's decision to produce a 'nunchuck-like' controller to support the Wand and make their answer to the Wii more useful for party and hardcore games. We brought the rumour of this addition to you last month and now we can contribute the button configuration of both the Wand and 'nunchuck'. The updated information comes from the same NeoGAF poster and though his comments cannot be taken as outright confirmation, he's digging himself a very big hole on the forum if he's lying. Ichinisan claims that he has seen the latest pictures of the PlayStation Arc and describes them in the following paragraphs:

"Nunchuck has an analog stick at the front, below that X and O and below that a D-pad. Underneath is L1 and L2. Its actually long, not like the Wii Nunchuk. "As for the Wand it has one very big button on top and then all four facebuttons (X,O,Square and Triangle) and underneath is a big trigger called T."

The doubling up of X and O across both contraptions is presumed to allow gamers to play with just the Wand for certain games. He further comments on the device's responsive as heard from a developer contact:

"It is highly responsive and accurate (the quote I heard was 'Like a quick Wii remote that's right every time!')"

Since these photo's are now trickling out from Sony, we'll make a prediction that we'll see their full colours at the Game Developer's Conference next week.

Suda 51: Interested in PS3 Arc and Heavy Rain-style game [UPDATE]

Patrick Steen — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:32:58 +0000

Suda 51, CEO of Grasshopper Manufacture, has of late been working hard on brining No More Heroes to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but following this Wii-port the developer has expressed interest in making games for both of the HD console's motion-control systems. In conversation with GameSpot UK, Goichi Suda (Suda 51) said that he was "very interested" in making games for the PS3 motion controller (presumed to be titled PlayStation Arc) and Xbox 360's Project Natal. He added that such games would go further than a simple recreation of the No More Heroes Wii formula, where he "will make some original IP to fit that control system." Interestingly, Suda 51 also complimented Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain, further stating that he'd "very much like" to make a similar title in the future, since he likes the idea of "new designs and anything that gives new experiences to the players," though he feels that this style of game will be harder to push in Japan. [UPDATE] - Suda 51 has told Games.fr that he's less interested in Sony's Arc, and more in Microsoft's Natal:

“Why develop a game for the competition (Sony) while their device is exactly the same as Nintendo’s? I'm not really excited about the gadget from Sony. Natal is great, it would be interesting to work on it”

Natal development mandatory for all Ubisoft studios; not so much Sony’s wand

Patrick Steen — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:00:19 +0000

Games compatible with Natal and the Magic Wand of the PS3 will obviously be in the program in 2010 at Ubisoft, but can we get an idea of the number of shares provided for each of these devices?

In Natal, all the studios of Ubisoft have or have had, an SDK. That means we invest heavily on this technology, we also mastered even before Natal is unveiled. Even before Microsoft filed a patent for this technology Natal and recognition of gestures, we had the technology embedded in Ubisoft studios in our R & D. So we had already mastered all this, and we think we have a sizeable lead over the rest of the market. Hence the decision to Yves Guillemot to mandate all the studios to work on this technology since we had development kits from Microsoft. Whenever there is a new application is our strategy, we want to be the first to have a good learning curve and continue to offer each time the better. Microsoft announced at CES that will be released in Natal year end, we, we think it will be for mid-November and Thanksgiving, and we should have a dozen titles ready.

Have you already an idea of the price of the machine?

Not at all.

And for the Magic Wand? Where are you?

I have less information on development. Sony was later than Microsoft.

Motion control will be meeting all of the current generation of consoles this year and Ubisoft is ready to support them. Already a keen publisher of Wii motion controlled games, Natal and Sony's Wand are sure to take a significant role in Ubisoft's upcoming release schedule. However, it looks like there's a little bit of bias between the two technologies. In an interview with Gamekult, which revealed that Beyond Good and Evil 2 was still in development, Ubisoft France's CEO Geoffory Sardi revealed that not only has Ubisoft had Natal development kits for some time, it's mandatory for all studios to develop with the technology.

In Natal, all the studios of Ubisoft have or have had, an SDK. That means we invest heavily on this technology, we also mastered even before Natal is unveiled. Even before Microsoft filed a patent for this technology Natal and recognition of gestures, we had the technology embedded in Ubisoft studios in our R & D. So we had already mastered all this, and we think we have a sizeable lead over the rest of the market. Hence the decision to Yves Guillemot to mandate all the studios to work on this technology since we had development kits from Microsoft. Whenever there is a new application is our strategy, we want to be the first to have a good learning curve and continue to offer each time the better. Microsoft announced at CES that will be released in Natal year end, we think it will be for mid-November and Thanksgiving, and we should have a dozen titles ready.

A dozen titles ready for Natal from Ubisoft alone? Now that's a line-up. What about Sony's Wand; what does Ubisoft have in store for the PS3? Sardi comments:

I have less information on development. Sony was later than Microsoft.

So despite Sony's motion controller being out first, this Spring, the company sent the technology to developers after Microsoft. Like Microsoft wanted to be first with the Xbox 360, Sony's wants to throw motion control out to public before Natal and perhaps with less immediate support than they would have hoped.