Nintendo has tried and rejected the motion-sensing technology that Sony and Microsoft are counting on to catch up in the intensely competitive video game market, the company’s president informed the Financial Times.
Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata claimed that his company had made experimental games controlled by camera-based sensors, but got better results with the accelerometers it eventually chose to use for its Wii console.
The news agency said Iwata’s comments throw down the gauntlet to Nintendo’s rivals, both of which recently announced motion controllers based on cameras in an effort to catch up with the Wii’s runaway sales lead.
The Wii has reportedly sold more than 50m units worldwide, when compared to 30m of Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which was launched last year and 23m of Sony’s PlayStation 3.
Iwata said: “Until they say when they’re releasing it, how much it costs and what software it comes with, we won’t know whether that is the route we should have taken. However, I think they couldn’t choose to release exactly the same thing.”
Nitendo stated that when a player moves the Wii’s controller, its accelerometer translates that motion into game commands. An upgrade that can detect difficult movements is up for release by the company.
