Nintendo Learned from Apple, but are Sony and Microsoft Listening?

The development of Project Natal (which really needs renaming before it becomes irreversible) and the PlayStation motion controller reminds me of UK comedy character Mrs Merton’s legendary question to Debbie McGee on her eponymous talk show: “And what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?”

I wonder what it is about the world’s fastest-selling console that piqued the interest of Sony and Microsoft. That the techniques being employed by these two appear more precise and advanced than Nintendo’s isn’t really surprising. It has been three years since the Wii launched, after all. The problem is that they don’t seem to ‘get it’ in the way that Nintendo did so emphatically.

When the iPod was being developed, Apple realised that the key to making digital music players work with consumers was the software they were paired with. iTunes was, and still is, just as important to the iPod as the aesthetics. Simplifying the importing and transfer of the music to a level that required no knowledge or experience was vital. You don’t need to understand the fancy hardware, you just need to click a button.

Nintendo showed the same savvy when launching the Wii. Throwing Wii Sports in with the console and offering the Wii Play controller bundle were the iTunes-equivalent masterstrokes. For non-gamers, probably the biggest obstacle in persuading them that they want a console is the games. If they’ve never played before, how will they know what they would like? Bundling Wii Sports meant they didn’t have to choose. Probably the single biggest hurdle to getting in that elusive expanded market is instantly removed. The Wii Play bundle is similar solution to the problem of getting that new audience to play multiplayer.

Wii Sports was also vital in generating hype for the Wii. It was so simple to demonstrate: you saw the simple little remote in someone’s hand, they swung their arm, the tennis player on screen swung his. You instantly got it. Crucially, though, this was no tech demo. You knew you would play this game eventually.

Project Natal has been shown with software that similarly explains the hardware, but is sorely missing that real-world factor. Yes, Milo explained how Natal can understand my face and provide interactivity, while Ricochet showed me how it can track my movements. But now what?

Best case scenario: Fun add-on. Worst case: HAL v1

Natal seems restricted to either be used as the only controller or passively as an enhancement to games that use the regular Xbox controller. Nintendo’s trick was to make the Wii remote central to controlling the whole console. Conversely, Natal seems doomed to live on the periphery. This scenario isn’t exactly terrible for a camera add-on, but Microsoft seems to have higher hopes than this for the tech.

MS is supposedly considering the motion detector equivalent to launching a new console. In that case, the sooner Microsoft shows off the big launch games the better. Ubisoft has suggested it has ten Natal games in development, which is a good start but we need more publishers to come out with support, and more visible software. If we’re going to be excited, we need to see a Wii Sports.

In stark contrast to Natal, Sony’s controller is fairly close to the Wii remote in design and technology and so benefits from the people at large already understanding Nintendo’s console. In true infuriating Sony style, however, they’ve missed one or two key points of the Wii’s success.

Nintendo said repeatedly that it was designing and naming the Wii remote to avoid putting off non-gamers. It was reported over and over in the press and Sony just wasn’t listening. Sony’s motion controller is not unobtrusive. In fact, it is brash and borderline embarrassing. I’ve shown it to casual gamers who openly laugh at the idea of buying one.

"PS3 phooone hoooome..."

What about the more serious gamer? Nintendo’s controller has a plethora of attachments, but the cost adds up. Sony claimed to want to lower to cost of entry for the motion controller by making sure that all supported games don’t require another nunchuck-type attachment. Instead, for games like RE5, we’ve seen half a DualShock used at times in a system that could be called ergonomically awkward at best and completely ludicrous otherwise. Now we’re actually seeing patents suggesting any number of increasingly ridiculous-looking add-ons.

Regardless of your opinion on the Wii now, Nintendo’s PR plan for launching motion control was nigh on perfect. The hardware was flexible, the software was obvious. The problem Microsoft and Sony have is that they appear to be catching up. These are motion controls being forced into ecosystems that weren’t designed for them. It’s left Natal feeling vague and Sony’s effort with no clear target audience. Nintendo showed us real purpose, boys. Where’s yours?