Why Sony passed on Kinect

[binary solo]

Porcupine_I said:

lets just pretend for one second that Sony had not abandoned Kinect technology

let us imagine Sony came up with that exact same product that Microsoft has released now, with exact the same launch games and tech behind it.

let us further pretend Microsoft had chosen to go the other way and develop a Motion controller with buttons and tracking in 3D Space.

is there anyone supporting Kinect right now who could honestly say that they would buy a PS3 in that case, because Sony has the better motion controls?

Or would it rather be that the ridicule would never end for trying to sell the Eyetoy again?

i don't expect an answer, just ask yourself people, you know the truth.

I suspect PS3 fans would be singing the praises of highly advanced controllerless gaming with its whole new vista of potential and dissing the Xbox dildo. And the Xbox fans would be celebrating the superior precision, responsiveness and feedback afforded by the hand-held motion device, while dissing the new PS camera as already tried and failed technology with only a slight improvement and no real application for hardcore games.

End of the day in the console wars it's got nothing to do with the best technology, it all about which technology your side is using, and who is selling the most.

It was an interesting read. I suspect in 2002 the 3D technology was a bit limited and the ball on a stick was a more cost effective way to go. I think Sony made a call to switch directions, and then invested in going that direction, at some stage there was a point of no return where ditching the ball on a stick and returning to a controllerless 3D camera concept was not a viable option for this generation, perhaps in part because of the massive losses Sony suffered in the early part of this generation. So even with a better 3D technology Sony were too far down the ball on a stick solution that they had to see it through to completion. Seems like Anton still thinks the current 3D camera tech is too limiting and is only willing to go back to it after another generational improvement on the technology. But he's clearly indicated an interest in re-opening up research when the tech is at the level they want it to be.

Interesting times ahead.