Enhancing the Game: Peripherals

Written on: Jun 26 2008
Featured on: Write The Game Video Game Blog

Recently EA Sports has announced that they would be using new peripherals, which will be bundled together with their new games within the next year. More information on this can be found in gamester’s article on the subject (Paris GDC: McCarthy Teases EA Sports Peripherals). With this announcement, it is only a matter of time before other companies begin to jump on the bandwagon and exploit more motion sensitive functions with new and more specific peripheral devices. What can we expect for the future?

David McCarthy of EA Sports was quoted on saying “I think you’ll see games using that Rock Band peripheral strategy from EA Sports, even within the next 12 months.” The strategy he was referring to is the use of controllers other then the norm to become more accessible and user friendly for non-gamers to play. Does this mean that EA will be releasing baseball bats, footballs, and basketball type devices for their games? On one hand, it would create a true experience for players. On the other hand this could recreate the scenario when the Wii was first released with the less then reinforced Wiimote strap. So be on guard because your television may be at risk if this is what they are going for.

Is that to say all motion sensitive peripherals will bring about this same danger? Not even slightly. The success of the Zapper and Wheel attachments for the Wii prove that you do not have to be swinging your arms around to play the Wii, as much fun as that is. Subtle movements achieve the same effect as wild frantic ones and this is an important point to make when creating a new device. If a company assumes that the player must throw, swing, etc with all their might, it could create problems and eventually make it hard to play a game all together.

Success of such devices as of late has proved the extensions of games can lead to more innovative gameplay. The dangers and hope of future peripherals lies in the hands of the developers. How long will these “game enhancers” last before they are replaced with something new that no one has seen yet or will they stand the test of time and stick around for a good long while? No one knows just yet, but success with new products will decide their face.