Gaming in Motion: Playstation Move Vs Xbox Kinect

Microsoft and Sony have a daunting task ahead of them in the gaming industry: a direct face-off with Nintendo and the Wii. They've been losing for four years against Nintendo's white magic box and are looking to change that. The undertaking that each company is about to engage in is not only an immense gamble, but also a potential poison to their fan-bases. During the coming year we will see both Microsoft and Sony release their respective motion control devices. For the Xbox 360 we will see Kinect and for the PS3, we have Move. Many are already shaking their heads and murmuring that this won't go well.

Just what makes failure so likely for the two peripherals? No matter what perspective you take, there's a great deal of evidence that success is highly unlikely. Considering each product closely as well as the circumstances of their releases, it should come as no surprise. Move and Kinect, put quite simply, are coming across as pretenders to Nintendo's Motion Control throne. You have Playstation Move, a near complete copy of Nintendo's own Wiimote. Then you have Kinect, a more original but radical attempt at gaming with a camera similar to, but more advanced than the Playstation Eyetoy.

As a gamer, you have to ask yourself one simple question. Is either worth it? Consider it carefully as we examine the pair. We'll start with Xbox Kinect. The Kinect camera is considered a 'controller-free gaming and entertainment experience'. Now here is where things get dicey. Kinect is essentially a camera that will allow you to play compatible games without a controller- only with your hands or body. For someone that has never and has no intention of playing a video game, they might say- 'That's swell!'.

Your average gamer, however, will likely have one of two reactions. Initial excitement without prompt consideration, or initial confusion with future disgust. Why? Let me give the analogy that has imbedded distaste for the peripheral in my friends. Follow along with these steps:

1. Hold your empty hands out.

2. Pretend you're holding a sword.

3. Swing said imaginary sword.

4. Try to have fun.

The analogy essentially demonstrates the fundamental flaw with Kinect. The experience itself, why pioneering, is unwanted and unappealing the majority of gamers. Gamers demand that medium of play. They enjoy the buttons, rumble, gamepads, and sense of physical connection with the game. There's a reason people shunned EyeToy and adopted the Wii Remote so quickly. Why? It was drastically different from previous control methods, but it was still familiar- reminiscent of controllers past. There was the A button, B button, D-Pad, and so-on. It was innovation that could be eased into- as opposed to just dropped in.

Kinect will also be compatible with the Xbox Dashboard- allowing you a verbal and gesture-based interface with the main 360 menu. One example used is that you will be able to give verbal commands such a 'Play'. 'Pause', 'Eject', and so-on while watching a DVD. Several problems arise in this scenario. The first is the most obvious- voice recognition. Anyone that has ever dealt with voice recognition software during a telephone call will know how incredibly frustrating this is. Every voice is different and no such software is perfect- I foresee frustration ahead.

The next issue is based around the user and those around him or her. Imagine trying to watch a movie with anyone not in the double digits of age. Once they realize the 360 is reacting when you say 'Pause' or 'Rewind', you can bet they'll be shouting commands at random. Even when it isn't purposely done, conversations will become guarded when watching a DVD or playing a game with verbal-based controls. Suddenly any loud noise can negatively effect your gameplay- any misused or mistaken word can mess with the experience. It's a technology that while interesting is not anywhere near being the norm.

The last hurdle that Kinect will have to jump is multiplayer. The Nintendo Wii is capable of up to 8 player single-console multiplayer. With four Wii remotes and 4 Gamecube controllers, this is possible and a few games have taken full advantage of it- Bust-A-Move Wii, Bomberman 98', and Wheelspin to name a few. That's not to mention the abundance of extremely popular 4 player video games available on the Wii- Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Mario Kart Wii, Naruto Shippuden: Clash of Ninja Revolution 3, TMNT: Smash Up, New Super Mario Brothers Wii, Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, Boom Blox, and so many more all utilize this. Kinect, on the other hand, can only allow 2 players to play at once. Any higher than that and the gameplay becomes turn-based. Yeah. Fun. On a final note, consider the cost for Kinect- $150.

Playstation Move is a different (albeit familiar) fish altogether. While considerably less original (it's basically a less innovative Wii remote), Playstation Move has a few things going for it. For one, it still features buttons- a simple design choice that places it considerably more capable in terms of game interaction than Kinect. There's a plus.

In terms of motion control sophistication, Move is fairly impressive. While demonstrations have shown nothing that is leaps and bounds above Wii Motion Plus, the Move medium does appear to have potential. This, however, brings us to the fatal flaw of Move. It's a more sophisticated Wii remote clone without Nintendo's exclusives and it's being released almost four years into this console generation. While Kinect has the original, unseen premise going for it- Move is being looked at as a disappointment in terms of value and inventiveness.

Multiplayer is clearly in Move's favor. While extremely expensive to attain more Move controllers at $100 a pop, it still supports up to 4 players in terms of gameplay. It might be years before you can utilize the full multiplayer features, but they exist. Those not liking the idea of standing next to one person in front of the TV and dancing around without a controller will be more comfortable with Move.

The only other category left to mention... games. The jury is out and the audience is split on who is doing a better job in bringing together a library of games. On the one hand, Kinect's offerings are clearly more creative and are in some cases, highly fresh to the game industry. On the other, Move will be compatible with some previous PS3 games through patching. Then again, the Nintendo Wii's entire library is compatible with its motion control interface. This holiday season is going to be in for a lot of twists and turns as Microsoft and Sony try to convince you to switch to their camps.

In the end, what it comes down to is this. Move is for those that want a Wii-like experience with HD graphics, but without the Nintendo exclusives and more creative use as on the Wii. Kinect is for those that want something completely different, albeit with limitations that some might find unacceptable.