Is Microsoft's "NEW" Imitation Flattery for Nintendo or Rip-OFF
Gates hints at plans for new videogame control system
Talks video recognition technology as possible evolution of control
Bill Gates has revealed that his vision for the future of gaming involves a new control system where players swing a bat or racket as they would in real life - but said it won't be the same as the Wii.
As reported by AllThingsDigital, Gates' comments came during a panel interview which he took part in with Apple boss Steve Jobs.
Turning to the subject of how the home PC's role is evolving, Gates said, "As we get natural input, that will cause a change... Software is doing vision and so, you know, imagine a game machine where you just can pick up the bat and swing it or the tennis racket and swing it."
The interviewers suggested Nintendo has already created such a machine in the form of the Wii - but Gates replied, "No, that’s not it. You can’t pick up your tennis racket…And swing it. You can’t sit there with your friends and do those natural things.
"That’s a 3D positional device," Gates continued. "This is video recognition. This is a camera seeing what’s going on."
Gates has previously been critical of Nintendo's strategy with Wii. Back in January he was quoted as saying, "Look at the resolution you get with a controlled experience like that. Say to yourself, how in terms of using a game for a long period of time, what kind of accuracy and capability do you want?"
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=25524
Gates wants to outdo Wii
Monday 4-Jun-2007 12:41 PM Microsoft chairman hints at motion control future for Microsoft's gaming sector, following teasing comments from other MS execs
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has offered further hints at the direction Microsoft's gaming division is taking, and if his comments at last week's All Things D conference are anything to go by, Gates wants to outdo Nintendo's Wii.
"Software is doing vision and so, you know, imagine a game machine where you're just going to pick up the bat and swing it or the tennis racket and swing it", he said.
A bit like Wii then, Bill? "No, that's not it. You can't pick up your tennis racket. And swing it." Oh, right.
Earlier this year Xbox boss Peter Moore hinted that Wii-like motion controls might be in the Xbox's future. "We have plans. This does not come as a surprise", he said.
Frankly, we're quite happy with our bog-standard 360 controllers as they are, but with these increasingly common comments considered, E3 could just be the place where we see Microsoft shake things up.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=165207
To all of you Nintendo Fans I apologize for what my estranged Father is planning on doing. What are your thoughts? Do you think this will Kill the Wii? Do you think that it is fair or that it is just good business sense on Microsoft's part? Do you think Nintendo needs to beef up the Wii's Hardware to Survive.. etc?