Rumor: Sony creates their own Wiimote, focus tests it

by David Hinkle { Jun 2nd 2008 at 3:00PM }

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise, considering their first attempt to rip off the Wii hasn't been that much of a success. Then, we heard rumors of Sony trying to bite off Nintendo's style again. Now, almost two years later, we hear about this?

Apparently, a small group of PS3 owners were taken to a location in California where they got to test out a new Sony product, a sort of PS3 remote that very much mimics the functionality of the Wiimote. While there, participants apparently enjoyed minigames such as tennis, fencing and paintball. The demonstrator also showed the folks some Quake on his laptop with the device.

But, before you grab your torch and pitchfork, know that Sony hasn't finalized the product yet. There's apparently many kinks that need to be worked out, as the device is right now dependent upon a large tripod.

Tags: focus-testing, playstation, playstation3, ps3, sony, wiimote

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

FantomRedux @ Jun 2nd 2008 3:14PM

Apart from the fact its for the PS3, and not the Wii, I want one. Give us new colours already Nintendo T_T.

/ontopic

Who can blame them, although I can honestly see this being less popular than a Wu, or a Vii to be honest. Especially if they keep that design ¬_¬

Psy @ Jun 2nd 2008 3:21PM

That's not the actual design. That image was made as a jab at Sony way back when the Sixaxis was first announced.

samfish @ Jun 2nd 2008 3:23PM

Go Sony! Don't you EVER let MS steal your "We Rip Off Nintendo FIRST!" crown!

I really hope Sony and Microsoft both announce their Wiimote ripoffs at E3. Not only would that expose it as the terrible, desperate move it is for both camps, but I'd looooove to be able to see Sony AND Microsoft fanboys pulling a sudden 180º and going on about how great the PS3mote/X-mote is.

jaydeee @ Jun 2nd 2008 3:30PM

They patented a wireless controller like the wii mote back in 2000 for the PS2........also Samfish dont be a fanboy. I have a PS3 and Wii. I love both of them, but for me the PS3 is better.

samfish @ Jun 2nd 2008 3:44PM

Congratulations. You must be proud.

Drahken @ Jun 2nd 2008 4:58PM

Yeah. Geez. Don't be a such a wii fanboy on a site called WII FANBOY.

WiiFTW @ Jun 2nd 2008 5:38PM

Well, being a fanboy is pretty much retarded...It basically is you justifying whichever console(s) you bought regardless of the purchase being satisfactory or not. Currently in the market for the PS3, owner of a Wii, I've finally realized being a fanboy just wastes money while making yourself feel better about your console/associated e-peen.

supa_s @ Jun 2nd 2008 3:35PM

that's pretty pathetic. Oh well, better Sony than MS.

Rowdehaj @ Jun 2nd 2008 3:46PM

Great that I own both. No 360 will penetrate MY house though >:C

CJLopez @ Jun 2nd 2008 3:51PM

People, this is business, companies ripping off another's ideas and making profit from them, claiming to be their own and filling patents 24/7.

This was just to be seen, we can list all the rip off on the video game industry and we would never, ever, end

I'm with samfish, I do really wanna see this happening on E3 and something like what happened with Guitar Hero world tour would happen

"We added a new gameplay form with new never seen before controls like the guitar, drums, microphone"
"I think it's called Rock Band"
"We like to call it Guitar Hero world tour"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zknPkKA3w_k

JUST PRICELESS

Dan @ Jun 2nd 2008 4:02PM

We knew this was going to happen. If not sooner, then in the next generation.

The secret to keeping your advantage is to keep innovating. I'm optimistic that the braintrust at Nintendo is finding ways to stay 2 steps ahead.

fco. @ Jun 2nd 2008 4:13PM

Priceless! Pathetic! Rip off!

Do you guys really think Sony or MS worry about being called names?

I wouldn't be so happy about watching Sony and MS humiliate themselves. If they pull this thing off wright, it will most certainly be the death for the Wii.

Without exclusive motion controls, it's bye-bye to any exclusive 3rd party game, or to any worthy exclusive feature for cross-platform games.
The only thing that'll remain are a bunch of first party games with last-gen graphics.

samfish @ Jun 2nd 2008 4:51PM

Enjoy playing your PS3 port of Imagine: Babiez.

fco. @ Jun 2nd 2008 5:27PM

You're missing the point, Sam.

Being the cheapest one, the Wii will sill be the console of choice for casual games.

Instead, what will in fact happen is that the only appeal in playing wii versions of games like The Force Unleashed or Alone In The Dark, will be lost.

samfish @ Jun 2nd 2008 7:52PM

That might be the case if these controllers weren't ADD-ONS.

They are, though. More than likely, that means that one or two 3rd party games will utilize them, at best and a handful of first-party games.

Don't kid yourself – this isn't going to change anything. That's the nature of these devices. I guarantee you that until the next generation of consoles when MS and Sony pack in their Wiimote versions, you'll be able to count on one hand the amount of games that use these things.

raindog @ Jun 2nd 2008 4:21PM

I don't know why they would be doing this considering that they could just pack Y-shaped plastic sticks of different colors in with the PS Eye and get about half its functionality.... put gyros and a little speaker in, and you basically have all of it.

Unfortunately, what that will not give them is Shigeru Miyamoto.

ArmorForVictor @ Jun 2nd 2008 4:56PM

wow this is pretty useless to me i have a ps3 and wii. i like them each for their own benefit's like the wiimote on the wii and the great online play on the ps3. seriously sony if someone wants a wiimote device they could just buy a wii.

mian @ Jun 2nd 2008 5:30PM

I disagree. Until the Wii starts attracting serious games from the PC library, games like CnC, Civilization, and FPSs would all benefit from IR pointer functionality over gamepad functionality. PS3 and 360 attract these games. And Nintendo hasn't made an effort to draw these games to Wii. That leaves an opening for either Sony or the 360 to go after gamers like me, a PC gamer at heart, looking for a console that gets us. I hope one of them drives a big rig through that hole. I'm not holding my breath, but I can hope.

The Wiimote is an incredible device, but also extremely misunderstood by even Nintendo. There's plenty of room for it's potential to be realized. And if Nintendo doesn't care to do it, someone else should.

samfish @ Jun 2nd 2008 7:53PM

"And Nintendo hasn't made an effort to draw these games to Wii. "

Well they actually HAVE, but 3rd parties aren't interested in putting those kinds of games on the Wii.

mian @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:24PM

What efforts has Nintendo made to draw in 3rd party core development? They didn't even advertise their own biggest core game: MP3C. They let the 40% of Wii owners who were online download videos to their Wii if they REALLY wanted to, and half the gaming verse didn't even know there was a MP3C. They could have sold several multiples of the 500K+ they did with a modest amount of advertising. If it had blown the doors off the sales charts, it would have sent a signal to other developers. But Nintendo was too busy with other things to devote more than two upaid interns to MP3C's marketing. It was a grossly under-appreciated game, and Nintendo is the only one to blame for that. Why should the gaming media give it AAA coverage if even Nintendo doesn't like it enough to give it AAA advertising?

Nintendo is rolling in dough, and they have the opportunity to team up with some 3rd party devs and bankroll/publish some serious AAA titles, they just aren't interested. They could be bribing places like Free Radical for some form of TimeSplitters exclusivity, but don't hold your breath.

ArmorForVictor @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:09PM

don't know about you, but i have metroid prime 3 and it's a good game the only thing i hate is how my wrist hurts after i play it for a long period of time. i rather have a conventional controller for my ps3 and leave the motion sensing to the wii.

Soiden @ Jun 2nd 2008 4:59PM

Hearing rumors from both Sony and Microsoft, I'm guessing all this supposed tests, designs and experiments are for the next-gen, not the current-gen.

time @ Jun 2nd 2008 5:18PM

Good. I'd like to see motion sensing become a staple in gaming.

mian @ Jun 2nd 2008 5:33PM

I hope companies have the sense to see how important IR functionality is to what the Wiimote has to offer. It's one of the major reasons six axis sucks compared to the Wiimote. They missed the boat. Motion sensing is nice (although overused and often poorly implemented). Precise pointer functionality is absolutely vital.

time @ Jun 2nd 2008 7:20PM

Yeah, by motion I meant the pointer mostly. I wasn't really clear enough.

mian @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:25PM

Don't worry about. 1up does this for a living, and 90% of the time, they act like they don't know the difference.

RatMasterD21 @ Jun 2nd 2008 5:34PM

i also think this is testing for the next gen. systems take years for to create and i think nintendo is already 2 steps ahead and i think that we can safely say that nintendo has something Sony and MS will never have the greatest game creator in the history of games...not to mention the most noticable character in the world super mario