Fear for the Future of the Game Controller

News over the weekend says Michael Pachter, video game industry prognosticator, predicts that Microsoft's Natal for the Xbox 360 will be price at $50.  We've been hearing about Natal and Sony's wands (Arc?) for a while now.  We know what they are likely to be capable of, and we now know a ball park figure for what one may cost.  It's a bit late to ask the question, but does anyone else think these are a joke and at the same time afraid of the influence they may have on future consoles?

I don't try to hide the fact that I have no love for the Wii, due in no small part to the controller that's forced onto nearly every game.  It doesn't mesh well with any genre I'm interested in playing, which is no small number, and it looks horrible compared to games on the other platforms.  It's only use currently is an 80's VHS workout tape replacement for my wife.  But, since it sold so incredibly well, Microsoft and Sony felt compelled to join the party.

Both companies have hinted that this will be a longer console life cycle, and these new peripherals will be like rolling out the next generation of their consoles.  The longer console life cycle part I don't have a problem with.  Sure, I'm a bit of a graphics whore, but I can appreciate waiting if the technology isn't going to provide a big enough bump up from what we're currently playing.  What I don't buy is that these new input devices are ushering in a whole new generation of games.

Again, I don't dispute the success of the Wii.  They accomplished what they set out to do, create a console that appeals to non-gamers.  Success!  My mom owns one.  So, are Natal and Sony's wands supposed to be the ticket into that new market?  Is that market already saturated by the Wii?  I know neither one appeals to my mom, since she already has a Wii and never uses it.

I'm what I think of as a core gamer.  I'm involved with the industry.  I own many generations of consoles and games.  I buy and play many games on a regular basis.  I play with a standard controller.  Am I wrong?  Am I no longer the core gamer, or the core audience as the console manufacturers see it?  Because if they think I'm still the core gamer/audience, then they certainly aren't appealing to me.

My own experiences tell me that I have no interest in replacing button presses with waggling a Wii remote.  Games on the Wii that take true advantage of the wiimote have generally been gimmicky mini-games or games that end up unappealing to me regardless of the controls.  For Natal, do I really want to control a game by relying on a camera to pick up my motions?  At best, there will be a new genre or two that are created that do an awesome job at taking advantage of the unique Natal controls (see: Steel Battalion).  At worst, it's an invitation for a bunch of crappy games where you use your body to block or hit things on the screen.



What's the appeal of pretending to hold steering wheel in the air and press imaginary brakes?  It's a technical achievement to get those motions turned into game controls, but just because someone figured out how doesn't mean it's a good idea.  I've played Forza and Gran Turismo for a few hours at a time sitting in a racing cockpit.  The thought of holding my hands in the air and foot off the ground, even for less than an hour, sounds maddening, much less for a full gaming session.  This is assuming that the precision of the controls will be any where near good enough to satisfy gamers looking for more than a gimmick to show off to friends.

At least with Natal and Arc, the consoles has already been established and sold with a regular controller.  No developer will be forced to design around these new inputs.  That gives me hope that one could avoid these additional peripherals and never be impacted negatively.  What I fear is that Sony and/or Microsoft would replace the controller with one of these new devices in their next console.  That would pretty much guarantee me a handful of years to catch up on my backlog.