Sony attempting to copy Revolution Controller for PS2?

[Trauma-san]

Looks like rumour has it Sony is trying to make a revolution-type controller for use with the eyetoy and release it around the same time as the Revolution drops this fall. 

http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=24355287

Rumor: PS2 counter-Revolution and PSP/PS3 Flash-es Source: A post on the flash-game and movie site Razoric.com by way of Kotaku.

The official story: "The information below is pure rumor and speculation."--Sony spokesperson. 

What we heard: By now, it's pretty much common knowledge what Nintendo's next-gen strategy will be. By the company's own admission, the Revolution will be a cheaper alternative to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Current price estimates for the next-gen console range from $250 to as low as $150.

The Revolution will also be targeted at nongamers, which it will lure in with intuitive gameplay. That will come courtesy of its "magic wand" controller, which will interpret a player's real-world movements into in-game action.

Given that price estimates for the PS3 are going through the roof, it would seem that Sony doesn't have anything to counter Nintendo's novel approach. Not so, says Razoric, which posted an e-mail it received from an employee at Macromedia claiming to have inside knowledge of Sony's counter-Revolution plans.

"Got some PS2 info if you're interested," read the e-mail. "Sony intend to make it their 'Revolution Killer.' They're working on tieing [sic] in Eyetoy and some kind of controller similar to the Revolution controller. With a 100M+ userbase, tens of thousands of mature and documented dev kits and the very low cost of producing Rev style games on the PS2 platform they're expecting to mobilise [sic] another 50M units over the next 5 years precipitated by a $99 price point in 2007."

Though from a less-than-reliable source, the outlined scheme seems like a pretty solid plan. With the new slimline PS2, Sony has both streamlined manufacturing costs and reduced form-factor size, facilitating increased shipping volume. Such measures make a $99 PS2 console feasible, if not profitable, from a hardware-cost standpoint.

Then there's the question of the EyeToy, which has so far only been used for a line of moderately popular party games. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe pioneered the technology behind the motion-sensing device and likely has a prototype of something akin to the Revolution's controller tucked away in its R&D labs. If the Revolution proves popular, such a device might be put on the development fast track--if it hasn't been already. If it ever came to market, it would set up a showdown between the Revolution and the PS2--one that could be tipped by the latter's massive installed base and low development costs.

If you're asking yourself why a Macromedia employee would have knowledge of Sony's next-gen strategy, the grammatically challenged e-mailer has a good explanation. "Sony are [sic] prepping our new mobile 'Flash Lite' platform for PSP and PS3," s/he writes. "They intend to combat Xbox Live Arcade with downloadable flash games to your PS3 and PSP."

Besides adding to the theory that Sony is prepping a PSP with enough built-in memory to download games, the e-mailer's theory makes business sense. "They understand the potential of Flash Lite since the development costs are low and we have a DRM [Digital Rights Management] solution in place so online content delivery is taken care of." Then there's the fact that Sony has repeated time and time again that the PS2 platform will have a 10-year life span. A new, Revolution-style controller would help it draw out those last four years.

[Black_Smoke]

interesting

[Danté Williams]

[Jip]

rofl

[Black_Smoke]

lol

[Sikotic™]

lol

LOL. It's some cold shit, but I can't blame Sony. They're trying to take advantage of whatever they can. If Nintendo created it, Sony's hoping to make bank off it. I don't see that happening though.

[Macaframa]

hhaaha dopee ^^^^

[M Dogg™]

I remember playing Playstation 1, and I was like, wow, they took the Super NES controller, and put two new buttons, then N64 had the rumble pack, and Sonny jacked that quick. Man, that's why I got an X-Box, 'cause Sony copies too much. But I will be honest, Revolution has me back in the Nintendo bandwagon, and I'm glad to be back. Revolution, here I come. 

[eKardz]

I remember playing Playstation 1, and I was like, wow, they took the Super NES controller, and put two new buttons, then N64 had the rumble pack, and Sonny jacked that quick. Man, that's why I got an X-Box, 'cause Sony copies too much. But I will be honest, Revolution has me back in the Nintendo bandwagon, and I'm glad to be back. Revolution, here I come. 

couldnt've said it better

[js83]

I remember playing Playstation 1, and I was like, wow, they took the Super NES controller, and put two new buttons, then N64 had the rumble pack, and Sonny jacked that quick. Man, that's why I got an X-Box, 'cause Sony copies too much. But I will be honest, Revolution has me back in the Nintendo bandwagon, and I'm glad to be back. Revolution, here I come. 

you aint getting a playstation cuz sony copies too much?...     too bad your missing out on some of the best games ever...