Ken Levine says new motion controllers are a "reaction to the Wii"

Irrational's Ken Levine has said that the new motion controls coming from Microsoft and Sony are a "reaction to the Wii" and in order for them to be successful, games created for them can't just be mindless waggling and jumping up and down affairs.

Speaking during a panel at Vassar College last week, Levine said that when it comes to motion control, developers need to give players opportunities to do things everyone would like to do, an not make the do silly and awkward things - citing Wii Bowling as an example that got it right.

"I think the motion controllers are a bit of a reaction to the Wii," said Levine (via GamerNode), "and I think the question is for the guys making those - and there's some very talented people working on those and there's some very impressive pieces of hardware - [is] it's gonna be about the software and can people figure out the experience that people have to have.

"[Wii Bowling] wasn't about going up and doing backflips in front of your TV. It was something that was very simple, not embarrassing, and people already have that sense of performance when they bowl.

"That's not the future. But I think it's all about figuring out that software, and is there going to be another zillion-dollar idea like Wii bowling or different idea than Wii bowling?"

Microsoft has said that when Natal is launched, it will be very careful with what is developed for it, while Sony has still remained mum on what to expect with it's controller - other than some existing franchises on PS3 getting Arc support.

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