Motion Controls Shouldn't be the Future of Gaming

With the new Xbox Kinect and PlayStation Move coming out soon, I wanted to address what I think about the motion control phenomenon that is sweeping over the video game community. Nintendo, of course, are the inventors of the idea when they came out with the Wii in November of 2006. Fast forward four years and the sickly sweet casual gamer console has done very well for itself.  So well, in fact, that both Microsoft and Sony have spent years readying their own motion control hardware in hopes of getting a piece of the casual gaming pie.

The Kinect with Kinect Adventuers.  Photo Property of IGN

The Wii was the first next generation console to fall into my possession, followed a few months later by the Xbox 360. Sony still haven't received a check from me yet, as I am still hoping for a price drop on the reliable but expensive PS3.  And I can tell you, as a representative from the hardcore community, I found little interest in the Wii's technological uniqueness once I could take my more visually beautiful and online friendly 360 out on the town.

The Wii fell into a "party games only" niche, mostly due to the dodgy controls and lack of an exciting and new library.  But don't get me wrong, the Wii is probably the best system out there when you want to gather a few friends around the TV for some fun.  But recent information and demonstrations of the new motion controls coming from the Microsoft and Sony camps have me rolling my eyes, and here is why:

Video games and gaming should always be about the games. Not the controllers. A regular old plastic boomerang with buttons serves me just fine. What do motion controls give us? Let me tell you. It gives us games like- "The Shoot" and "Dukes" for the Move and "Kinectimals" and "Kinect Joy Ride" from Microsoft's creation. I suppose for the causal gamer these would provide fun games to toy around with, but are they really going to have the atmosphere of a Silent Hill or the serene beauty of Shadows of the Colossus?  Are they going to have the unique humor and puzzles of a game like Portal or a plot twist to rival Bioshock?  Frankly, I'd be really surprised.

The PlayStation Move with Sports Champions.  Photo Property of IGN

But someone will surely argue that motion controls can make gaming more immersive. It's putting the player's movements literally into the game, right?  But I can tell you, from my experience with motion controls, that the moment your character doesn't do what you thought you were motioning, it immediately breaks the flow of the game.  And before you know it you are frustratingly waving your body around hoping your motion will translate onscreen. And maybe the Kinect and Move will interpret movements better than the Wii, but you can't tell me they are going to be perfect 100% of the time. As a gamer, I want my characters to respond to smaller actions anyway- like from the press of a button- not larger ones like waving my arms.

And that whole argument is moot anyway because games played with a regular old controller managed to be immersive without the implementation of motion controls.  Maybe I'm just being pessimistic, but as someone who loves games, I'm not looking fondly at the direction video games are headed. I want stories that move me, gameplay that is intuitive and rewarding.  And the recent trend of pushing towards a more casual market, while great for business, is not really what I want.  And in case it wasn't obvious, I won't be shelling out the ridiculous sum of $100 for a Move or an extra $150 for the Kinect.

Lastly, think on this: Shouldn't Microsoft and Sony be spending their money looking for the next big idea instead of on an idea already pioneered by Nintendo four years ago?  I'm no business expert, but abandoning the fan base these companies have built for themselves to chase a market already secured by the most successful video game company ever, just seems like poor decision making.  Best of luck to us all.