WSJ: Microsoft prepping Xbox 360 motion control camera
by Jason Dobson 
{ May 13th 2009 at 8:35AM } 
Citing unnamed sources reportedly close to the project, the rumored camera captures a player's body motion and translates it onto the screen. The functionality reads more like the EyeToy than the Wii, though the WSJ's sources say that the rumored peripheral will offer "more accurate control over games" than other cameras. Microsoft was said to be in talks to purchase 3D camera company 3DV earlier this year, tech the sources say is behind the camera. Whatever the case, the camera, if true, is likely a ways off, with the WSJ's sources further noting that the device won't see the light of retail until sometime next year.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Bowser Rogozhin: Princess Nyah DF; Abigail Williams Slayer @ May 13th 2009 8:41AM
I'm sorry, but that guy looks like a moron.
InFaMoUs1- @ May 13th 2009 9:05AM
I can say the same about your avatar =P
Maverick Saturn @ May 13th 2009 9:34AM
And thats the best possible reply you could conjure up
InFaMoUs1- @ May 13th 2009 11:31AM
i was in a hurry and I'm on break at school.. oh well
HighFiveJesus @ May 13th 2009 11:51AM
probably looks like a guy who beat you up a few times
gimmie yo sandwich!
Bowser Rogozhin: Princess Nyah DF; Abigail Williams Slayer @ May 13th 2009 12:00PM
That was a pretty cool burn, Sackboy.
Shagittarius @ May 13th 2009 12:09PM
That guy looks like hes playing a BMX racing sim and your about to pass him.
Either that or its a BJ simulator.
NoughtSoClever @ May 13th 2009 2:47PM
That boy has an invisible dick in his mouth.
verymetal @ May 13th 2009 8:43AM
If their going to use the camera like that then make some porn games.
Archon (PSN: Archonik, XBL: DarkARHN) @ May 13th 2009 8:47AM
seXbox talk again?
sonicspike41 @ May 13th 2009 8:52AM
Great, just what we need: more Fox News "sexpose" stories about the seXbox.
On the bright side we might get to watch them get torn to pieces again. Though after how bad it was (for them) last time, they'll probably find someone less game-loving to represent our side of the story.
Freeze @ May 13th 2009 9:42AM
yeah i can see motion control using avatars mating with other avatars and having little avatars running around in a virtual world. That would be fresh!
Freeze @ May 13th 2009 9:44AM
that would be a definite blow to Sony's HOME.
Ryan @ May 13th 2009 10:12AM
Mass Effect 2 Interactive Sex Scenes...
Korova Pamplona @ May 14th 2009 5:24PM
It would give a whole new meaning to hardcore gamer
LameDuck @ May 14th 2009 10:02PM
...Xbox 360 version of Quincy in a sex game... *shutters*
ps360owner @ May 13th 2009 9:00AM
who cares? i got my 360 and ps3 to play hardcore games and i got a wii sitting there if i really want to use this motion control crap.anyways im sure some mug will buy into this crap.
Orion @ May 13th 2009 9:08AM
You really like the word crap, don't you?
Boffo the $ock @ May 13th 2009 9:42AM
It's craptastic!
Jason Statham (Aka Vegeta) @ May 13th 2009 10:22AM
IT'S CRAPALICIOUS!!!
Duke @ May 13th 2009 10:28AM
Well yeah, didn't you read his whole post - he's hardcore!
Markez @ May 13th 2009 11:39AM
He's hardcrap
Dv8thwonder @ May 13th 2009 12:15PM
Craptacular!
d889 @ May 13th 2009 1:22PM
i am hoping for something along the lines of when you play a fps and something jumps out and scares you, when you tilt your body to try and dodge ... the camera will pick it up and tilt your character in game....... here's hoping
MED @ May 13th 2009 3:23PM
come on d889 they had a good thing going here. Don't try and piggy back your post onto a series of high ranked ones just so it will get read.
t_m @ May 14th 2009 9:09AM
cos nothing is more hardcore than gamepads...
(crap, i can't work out how to get crap into this post)
bulletsmakepeace @ May 13th 2009 9:01AM
Thats a dumb idea and one I'm sure has already been tossed to the the side.
Problem. Any background movement, pets, aka dog walking by etc would mess up the game. So unless your a lonely emo who hides during sunlight in a room to yourself this will not work.
Those of us who have friends and are social... Never work and way to much background.
Erluti @ May 13th 2009 3:29PM
I wouldn't assume a dog walking by will screw it up until you try it.
I'm not saying it won't, but it's possible to make motion detection software that's really smart. The real question is if that software can exist on the same processor that's trying to run a game or not.
Jon2309 @ May 13th 2009 10:05AM
>So unless your a lonely emo who hides during sunlight in a room to yourself this will not work.
Brilliant! I'll take three!
Cody @ May 13th 2009 11:01AM
"Those of us who have friends and are social..."
LOL... bulletsmakepeace,
We all know 360 owners have no friends and are not social.
bulletsmakepeace @ May 13th 2009 3:23PM
I love the 360 fan boys.
Stat the obvious and they become insulted. Like it matter anyways, I mean after you plug your little camera in your only going to hardware fail anyways...
Or whatever error code they are using now.
Or really are some people too dumb to understand the dynamics of motion capture or even the basics of? Great if your in a static (aka; as in non movable objects in your surroundings) controlled room but in true environment it is useless..
j.howlett @ May 13th 2009 9:08AM
there have been plenty of things like this before wii, nintendo even had a couple. the thing that made a difference is that the wii mote came as the default control method with console.
xGeneral DEATHx @ May 13th 2009 9:12AM
File this one under "Too little; Too late".
Kizzle @ May 13th 2009 10:26AM
File this one under "who gives a shit about controlling games via camera."
Ashkental @ May 13th 2009 9:19AM
Ashkental's Forecast:
Microsoft will lose this year's E3, Sony will win and nintendo will be another joke but in the middle, anouncing some RARDKORE Gamez
NOOK @ May 13th 2009 9:37AM
Well, expecting MS to show Forza 3 and Sony AGAIN not having a GT5 release date: It's pretty much a win for Microsoft.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ May 13th 2009 10:04AM
FORZA is good an all.....but it does NOT have Shit on Gran Turismo....I expect it to be giving a vague window tho....such as Spring 2010
Ashkental @ May 13th 2009 10:08AM
I Think Forza is nowhere near GT 5... But anyways, having GT 5 release date is not the kind of announcement that would give sony the Prize (Aka FF XIII on 360), but like... PS2 BC on PS3 would deffinetly be a Huge win for Sony...
Do you really expect microsoft to win an E3 based on Casual-Stupid-Camera-Thingy?
Do you Know that Sony have this one for years now (since PS2) and it's called PS Eye?
I can't see any big announcements from Microsoft part, but for sony and nintendo i can see many things
Ryan @ May 13th 2009 10:16AM
So long as there is a complete Forza current-gen offering, I think Forza totally has all the shit on Gran Turismo.
Unless my understanding of "Prologue" isnt that its just a tech demo to score up some financing to finish the game.
Snowblind @ May 13th 2009 11:15AM
I'm not big on racing simulators, but as far as they go I enjoy Forza a lot more, although that's mainly for the ability to completely customise the cars. The things some people do with that is amazing, I could only make something that vaguely represents Pac-man :p
But as for E3, I see Sony and Microsoft being about equal again. I think MS will have a few big annoucnements about games coming (Forza and Splinter Cell are all but confirmed), but Sony will have things like Uncharted to show off.
Nintendo's should be the most interesting, they won't be making the same mistakes as last year, I'm betting they'll have some big things to show off, maybe a new Pokemon game on the Wii to go with the remakes.
Mr Khan @ May 13th 2009 2:36PM
Unless Sony unveils the PSP Go!, it's going to be Nintendo's year this year
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ May 13th 2009 9:17AM
YAAAAY MS!!!
Welcome to 2006!!!
Snowblind @ May 13th 2009 9:23AM
This isn't exactly like the EyeToy, it picks up a lot more. It basically works the same as a motion controller, without actually needing a seperate controller.. for example, a boxing game like FNR4 would not work on the EyeToy.
That being said, I still don't care.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ May 13th 2009 9:28AM
ummmmm You do NOT need a Controller to use the PSEye that way either....there are a few PSEye games on PSN that work and no controller is used....so yea...like I said....Welcome to 2006...t
Snowblind @ May 13th 2009 9:35AM
But the EyeToy works exactly like the Vision Camera, it doesn't pick up on finer details, most of the games involved nothing but waving your arms around the screen. This would essentially allow you to play Wii games like Zak and Wiki that require more precice movements.
The EyeToy/Vision camera were not capable of that.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ May 13th 2009 9:41AM
yea but remember the PS EYE is not the same as the EYETOY....
If I remember correctly the video for EyePet from last years E3 showed more than just waiving and used finger movements....Then the game that was announced way back in 2005 called Eyedentify used facial recognition tech as well...dunno whats going on with that one tho....
xGeneral DEATHx @ May 13th 2009 10:54AM
HAS TOTEM BALL TAUGHT US NOTHING?!
Aero @ May 13th 2009 9:20AM
This would end up the same way as my live vision cam, sat on the shelf gathering dust.
Geist @ May 13th 2009 9:29AM
Awesome. MS will release this, ten people will buy it, and two games will use it.
Maverick Saturn @ May 13th 2009 9:33AM
Hmm, sounds suspiciously like the idea Sony had in mind, I guess E3 will bring two companies revealing cameras that allow you to go motion all the way :D
Heres guessing the next halo will require me to prance about on the spot and swing my arms to shoot rather then use my controller.