E3 2009 - The software show that was about ... hardware

Greetings to all !

Every week or so, I will share my thoughts and analysis of the video game industry from the game design perspective. I don't expect everyone to agree with everything I write but all comments are welcomed as long as they respectful. By sharing ideas and thoughts, we'll get smarter as a group.

Today, I would like to talk about an interesting evolution in our industry: The development of motion-based controllers. The Wiimote has been a precursor. That peripheral is now witnessing a drastic improvement in performance thanks to the Wii MotionPlus, Microsoft is introducing its motion camera, Sony will soon have its own motion-sensing controller and let's not forget the iPhone/iTouch with its accelerometers.

Those improvements in hardware are no gimmick. They make games easier to play but they also create room for new skill-based gameplays. When the damage inflicted by a sword will depend on its stike angle and the positioning of the body, a whole new dimension in gameplay will open up.
From the commercial point of view the announcement of a new platform is a major event, but not necessarly from the design poijnt of view. However new peripherals will have an influence on game design and game concepts. That's why I believe the recent development of new methods to control games will have a deeper influence on our industry than it looks like.