New Motion Controls Will Extend Hardware Cycle, Say Analysts

The new motion control technology recently revealed by Sony and Microsoft will lengthen the lives of current-gen consoles, industry analysts predict.

With some analysts saying that this is the last generation of consoles and some saying it isn't, one thing most people can agree on is that this gen will last longer than any other before it. According to industry analysts, that might end up being a result of the new motion sensing technology unveiled by Microsoft and Sony earlier this week: Project Natal and the "PlayStation Wand."

Instead of releasing completely new hardware, Microsoft and Sony have opted to release potentially game-changing new technology on existing platforms. Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian said that this is a strategy that may prove effective, as the two new devices "may provide the industry with its next growth driver and extend the console cycle."

But which one will do it better? Project Natal or the PS Wand? Cowen Group's Doug Creutz thinks Sony has the edge, saying that "Sony actually did the best job among hardware manufacturers, both in terms of upcoming titles and longer-term strategy."

That's because of the PS Wand's potential for speaking to "core gamers," Creutz thinks. During the demo, Sony suggested the device might be used effectively for first-person shooters and real-time strategy games. "We felt Sony's gamer-oriented motion capture camera was superior to Microsoft's casual-oriented offering," he explained.

[Via Gamasutra]