Performance Designed Products (PDP) has come to GDC prepared to showcase the latest model of it's new creation, the GameTrak Freedom -- a motion controller for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Planned to be released on Microsoft's console this fall, and the PS3 (potentially) next year, the Freedom acts like current motion controllers on the market but adds a special feature. Through the use of accelerometers, the Freedom establishes the pitch, roll, and yaw of the controller but, unlike other motion devices, it can calculate the precise distance, orientation, and speed of the controller with the use of two side-mounted sensor bars.
According to IGN, third-party companies are already developing titles for the Freedom but PDP has taken the reigns by developing it's own launch title: Squeeballs. Currently in development by PDP owned, In2Games, Squeeballs is a mini-game collection, which includes a total of 150 challenges across 11 different games.
After ages of Xbox 360 motion controller rumors that have led to nothing official, we wonder if Microsoft's console is in need of such a device. Arguments could be made that the release of You're In the Movies attempted to test the waters for peripheral based games (not associated with Rock or Heroes), but mild interest in that family friendly venture could prove that Microsoft isn't fooling anyone into thinking the Xbox 360 is something it isn't.
Interestingly enough, due to the Freedom's precision, players will actually have to put effort into movements unlike the faked wrist-flicks done in current gesture-based games. In other words, buy a pane of bulletproof glass to put in front of your television this fall. The (cute, yet disturbing) trailer for Squeeballs is available after the break.
[Thanks, Niko O.!]
Reader Comments (55)
Posted: Mar 25th 2009 10:16PM (Unverified) said
this thing has a lot of potential and can really lower the sales of the wii and bring up the sales of the 360 and ps3. but i have a bad feeling about it.( I hope it does good and finally lowers the wii sales by at least a little... Nintendo sells to much :)
Posted: Mar 26th 2009 9:39PM (Unverified) said
I really hope no one thinks that this will increase the sales of the PS3...because no 'casual' gamer will see that and think that's 280 pounds justified. The same practically goes for the 360.
If this was the 360's answer to motion control that they were talking about, I expected MUCH more.
And I love how this turned into flame bait for the Wii, you lot make me laugh.
If this was the 360's answer to motion control that they were talking about, I expected MUCH more.
And I love how this turned into flame bait for the Wii, you lot make me laugh.
Posted: Mar 29th 2009 11:38AM (Unverified) said
The same people that called it a gimmick and said they preferred button smashing and HD graphics to motion sensing and FUN are going to rush in and buy this thing
The human race is so weird
The human race is so weird
Posted: Apr 1st 2009 11:35AM Singular Trap said
Has anyone thought about the impact this peripheral on the X360 and PS3 will have on the Wii from a third-party title perspective? Currently, one big complaint is that the Wii doesn't really support third-party games very well (read: ports suck).
With this, unless PDP has insane licensing restrictions (or it's a total piece of crap), it will create an incentive for third parties to create better games for the Wii. This is because with the controls being so similar on the all major platforms now, creating an extremely similarly-controlled port of a game will be less cost-prohibitive.
Someone already wrote that they want ported to X360 or PS3. Certainly, that would have been across all platforms if this peripheral had already existed.
With this, unless PDP has insane licensing restrictions (or it's a total piece of crap), it will create an incentive for third parties to create better games for the Wii. This is because with the controls being so similar on the all major platforms now, creating an extremely similarly-controlled port of a game will be less cost-prohibitive.
Someone already wrote that they want ported to X360 or PS3. Certainly, that would have been across all platforms if this peripheral had already existed.
Posted: May 18th 2009 4:34PM (Unverified) said
Golf for starters. EA is supporting the MotionPlus add-on for the wiimote in Tiger Woods 2010 which comes out soon.
I'm betting they'll be happy to implement motion control in the 360 version as well.
Bowling. I loved playing Wii Sports Bowling, at my cousins house...I'm not going to buy a Wii just to play that. I would love a fun, HD version of motion controlled bowling.
How cool would it be if Lucas Arts supported these in a Star Wars game? Can you say "dual-wielding"? SImilarly, you could have realistic sword-fighting in other contexts (Samurai, ninja, pirate, etc.)
I am worried about MS's own 3D motion camera, coming next year. Having two competing devices could cause both to fail...
I'm betting they'll be happy to implement motion control in the 360 version as well.
Bowling. I loved playing Wii Sports Bowling, at my cousins house...I'm not going to buy a Wii just to play that. I would love a fun, HD version of motion controlled bowling.
How cool would it be if Lucas Arts supported these in a Star Wars game? Can you say "dual-wielding"? SImilarly, you could have realistic sword-fighting in other contexts (Samurai, ninja, pirate, etc.)
I am worried about MS's own 3D motion camera, coming next year. Having two competing devices could cause both to fail...




