No Kinect for Grand Slam Tennis 2

By Fred Dutton Published 14 October, 2011

EA explains why.

While PlayStation 3 owners will be able to enjoy EA Sports' Grand Slam Tennis 2 with the Move controller when it launches next year, Xbox 360 gamers won't be able to hook up a Kinect unit for a spot of air-slapping.

Why? Eurogamer asked producer Thomas Singleton that very question at an EA preview event in New York earlier this week.

"The successful Kinect titles are built specifically for that platform," he replied.

"They're not built for that platform [pointing at a PlayStation 3 unit] and then made to work with the Kinect platform. The games that play well, that's where the Move controller is treated as a peripheral versus a platform. We're supporting the peripheral."

Singleton also explained why EA has decided against a Wii version, despite the fact that the original was exclusive to Nintendo's home console.

"We wanted to focus on these platforms. We wanted that photo-real look," he explained.

"Developing on the Wii, it's a different product. When we first came out with the Wii version we were like, okay, we're going to do all platforms. Then we decided, no, the Wii makes the most sense as it actually has the gesture-based system already in place. Everyone's loving Wii Sports, but they didn't go deep enough with it - they just scratched the surface of what we think it was capable of.

"With the introduction of PlayStation Move we started to get excited again," he added.

"Having Move support - that ability to literally put the racquet in the palm of your hands - makes total sense. And now we can do that in high def. We can deliver a project much like our FIFAs, our NHLs, our Fight Nights, that looks to that quality on our platforms."

So, what sets the sequel apart from the original? Singleton pointed to control innovation, Move integration and improved AI as the game's three big hooks.

"First and foremost, our Total Racquet Control system - arguably the first innovation in the tennis category in a long time - having the ability to play the entire experience full analogue versus buttons.

"We've got best-in-class Move integration - we want you to feel that sensation of controlling all the action.

"Then there's our P.R.O. AI system where, much like NHL 12's AI, players not only look like themselves but they play like themselves. An offensive baseliner like Rafa Nadal plays like an offensive baseliner."

EA Sports' original Wii effort served up a very enjoyable fuzzball experience back in June 2009. Kristan Reed's Grand Slam Tennis review has all the details.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (23) Latest comment 4 months ago

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  • onezeonx #1 4 months ago

    "The successful Kinect titles are built specifically for that platform," he replied.

    So fifa 13 hasnt got full kinect support??????????????

    Ha

  • Dave52 #2 4 months ago

    Been hankering for a good Move Tennis game - this could be it.

  • coomber #3 4 months ago

    No Kinect for Grand Slam Tennis 2

    EA explain why.

    I expected a three-word article:

    "Because it's crap."

  • JayScott #4 4 months ago

    I quite enjoyed Grand Slam Tennis on Wii so hopefully this will improve upon that.

  • shave_my_donkey #5 4 months ago

    the kinect really is pointless

  • Wootallica #6 4 months ago

    'They're not built for that platform [pointing at a PlayStation 3 unit] and then made to work with the Kinect platform.'

    i.e. Sony gave us a crap load of money and we took it.

  • kirankara #7 4 months ago

    "-3
    'They're not built for that platform [pointing at a PlayStation 3 unit] and then made to work with the Kinect platform.'

    i.e. Sony gave us a crap load of money and we took it."

    Or kinect just isn't accurate enough to translate motions into distinct motions in the game, and has too much lag.

    Kinect for all it's good points and innovation doesn't translate well to traditional games that require controllers

  • Drygore #8 4 months ago

    @kirankara

    I agree

  • Inmediasress #9 4 months ago

    M$ should really scrap this kinect thingy, it is dead so please leave it that way.

  • bladdard #10 4 months ago

    Once you get used to the crazy recalibrate between shots Grand Slam tennis offered a feling of control unlike any other tennis game on the wii. This should be even better with move because move knows where it is in 3d space, I for one cannot wait.

  • Gregolution #11 4 months ago

    Very interested. Move is perfect for this as we know from sports champs table tennis. If it's exclusive for move I have hope they'll make it a serious motion control sim which is exactly what I want.

  • Smoped #12 4 months ago

    Judging by the article you're responding to, no, it isn't Move exclusive. It's also for normal PS3s and 360s.

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #13 4 months ago

    Please God make this a good Move game, 3rd party motion games are always a massive let down, its been so long since wii sports showed us promise of motion tennis, then nothing with a bit more depth with the same fun has ever appeaered, Sports champions has shown it can be done with arguably more fun, certainly more accurately, but still the depth was missing.

  • Bander #14 4 months ago

    "They're not built for that platform [pointing at a PlayStation 3 unit] and then made to work with the Kinect platform. The games that play well, that's where the Move controller is treated as a peripheral versus a platform. We're supporting the peripheral."

    Not sure if this really counts as an explanation. Maybe as something that requires an explanation...

  • funkateer #15 4 months ago

    "They're not built for that platform [pointing at a PlayStation 3 unit] and then made to work with the Kinect platform. The games that play well, that's where the Move controller is treated as a peripheral versus a platform. We're supporting the peripheral."

    That's quite an elegant way of saying it.

  • GrizzleBoy #16 4 months ago

    @Bander

    He's referring to Kinect as a different platform due to the fact that hardcore and sim games are basically non existant on it for reasons only devs know (but seem kind of obvious).

    Its basically a "play wii type party games" extension for the 360 that separates itself from not only the traditional 360 game, but also the traditional 360 gamers interests.

    Could be the nature of controller free gaming, could be the limits of the hardware. Probably both. Either way, that's what it is in its current carnation.

    Move on the other hand is literally just a peripheral that can be used to add to traditional experiences. You have all the buttons and triggers that you do with a dual shock, but you also have additional abilities through the motion control.

    I think that's what he was trying to say.


    I would also like to say that I'd be pretty disappointed as a Kinect owner in terms of providing kinect experiences for people who like shooters, non party type sports games and the like.

    If you're going to tell me that Kinect isn't for that type of stuff, then I guess that answers the question of why Kinect wont be supported by non party type tennis game.

    /long winded
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/11 @ 17:45

  • amiga_dude #17 4 months ago

    "They're not built for that platform [pointing at a PlayStation 3 unit] and then made to work with the Kinect platform. The games that play well, that's where the Move controller is treated as a peripheral versus a platform. We're supporting the peripheral."

    Corporate PR speak translation is:

    You have to pay Micro$oft extra to release software that uses Kinect. So EA has to pay Micro$oft for releasing a game on XBox360 and again for Kinect as Micro$oft see's it as another platform. Sony on the other hand do charge any extra for use of the Move technology as they just see it as peripheral. So EA only has pay Sony for releasing a game on PS3.

  • Bander #18 4 months ago

    Grizzleboy, I'm not yet convinced that Kinect is no good for hardcore games. Child of Eden certainly isn't casual. Project Draco and Steel Battlalion aren't expected to be, and Kinect can be used as a peripheral in a similar manner to Move. For example, in Forza 4.

    amiga_dude, is that even slightly true? This is the company that made Kinect drivers for use with a PC completely free.

  • RodimusPrime13 #19 4 months ago

    It could of worked on kinect the only difficult is the menus. Sony really wants developers to make games for move. Ea tried to make a few games for kinect yet they have been lame and Sony likely payed ea to make the games for move. Kinect may be harder to program for yet kinect is easier to uses then move. Kinect has a lot that could still be done, yet move is an enhanced standard contoller. I know ps3 owners that don't want move or don't like it if they have it. Ea has realized only if they fully use the kinect will it kinect increase the sales. Ea does not want to change how they make the games which they will if they fully use kinect.

  • bladdard #20 4 months ago

    Rodimus was that a brain dump cos I want some of whatever you're taking.

  • Doctor_What #21 4 months ago

    I doubt Kinect would have been sensitive enough to differentiate spin on the ball. Without that then there is no point in making a tennis game... I guess you could have shouted 'top spin!' and used voice recognition, but I don't think that would have been a suitable compromise!

  • chrisjm #22 4 months ago

    I like tennis games..
    But i know even if this is good the online servers will be turned off too quick as its EA, so no thanks.

  • Bander #23 4 months ago

    Why couldn't EA have said something that easily makes sense, like Doctor_What just did?

    Though I do recall MS making a big deal about Kinect allowing you to use your own real sports apparatus ages ago, which should get around the problem. Not seen any sign of that happening yet. Probably the lens isn't wide enough, or you'd have to stand even further back, like 12 feet, for the racket to remain in range, which in turn loses precision as the infra-red beams fade out :(