Gates talks up new control idea

By Games Industry.biz Published 5 June, 2007

Like Wii, but he says it's not.

Bill Gates has revealed that his vision for the future of gaming involves a new control system where players swing a bat or racket as they would in real life - but said it won't be the same as the Wii.

As reported by AllThingsDigital, Gates' comments came during a panel interview which he took part in with Apple boss Steve Jobs.

Turning to the subject of how the home PC's role is evolving, Gates said, "As we get natural input, that will cause a change... Software is doing vision and so, you know, imagine a game machine where you just can pick up the bat and swing it or the tennis racket and swing it."

The interviewers suggested Nintendo has already created such a machine in the form of the Wii - but Gates replied, "No, that’s not it. You can't pick up your tennis racket... And swing it. You can't sit there with your friends and do those natural things.

"That’s a 3D positional device," Gates continued. "This is video recognition. This is a camera seeing what's going on."

Gates has previously been critical of Nintendo's strategy with Wii. Back in January he was quoted as saying, "Look at the resolution you get with a controlled experience like that. Say to yourself, how in terms of using a game for a long period of time, what kind of accuracy and capability do you want?"

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Comments (74) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Darkedge #1 5 years ago

    finally something good to use the camera with - Uno gets dull after a while

  • Steroyd #2 5 years ago

    It may not be the wii, but that sounds suspiciously like the Eye-toy.

  • DB2k #3 5 years ago

    yeah cause we all have the room to swing full sized tennis bats or golf bats in our homes..

    whilst this isn't a terrible idea, so far I am not convinced..

  • joeking #4 5 years ago

    It would be interesting to see how Nintendo would react if their sole unique selling point was gazumped by a superior alternative. Assuming of course that Microsoft have a tasty surprise up their sleeves. We'll wait and see.

  • AcidSnake #5 5 years ago

    But surely you can't do anything with just one camera?
    You'd need at least two...and I don't know if technology is up to scratch to analyse 3D space just yet...

    /imagines scene from robocop where gates shouts at 360: "Target!"

  • Steroyd #6 5 years ago

    yeah cause we all have the room to swing full sized tennis bats or golf bats in our homes..

    He's talking about video recognition (which is a NEW idea and nothing like the Eye-Toy), so it's most probably recognizing the action of your hand as a bat or something not literally swinging a bat.... at least i think he's not that crazy.

  • asharkman #7 5 years ago

    He sounds jealous of the success of wii if you ask me.

  • geepersd #8 5 years ago

    I see lots of broken TVs when people try a bowling game or the like - very few items have wii style wrist straps built in.

    also it's a very far far away concept to boot

  • playgen #9 5 years ago

    Gates vision of the fututre - wait for someone else to think of it, then copy it pretending it's an all new idea.

  • Arwin #10 5 years ago

    This is almost a direct copy of what the creator of Loco Roco was saying on Eurogamer's most famous sister site.

  • Steroyd #11 5 years ago

    It would be interesting to see how Nintendo would react if their sole unique selling point was gazumped by a superior alternative.

    I hope your joeking, and add-on periphal that gazumped the wii would be even more gimmicky than the wii itself.

  • LOLLERS #12 5 years ago

    "The whole point is doing it first really. "

    No, the whole point is doing it well.

  • gamingdave #13 5 years ago

    As cool as video recognition may become, he really should have tried to think of some better examples. The fact I can play Wii Tennis without a massive space arround me is the whole point. If I had to use a real racket I wouldnt be able to do it in my living room.

  • joeking #14 5 years ago

    @ frod

    Not necessarily. After all, the Wiimote is not 'new' technology. It's old technology, tweaked, refined, and then adapted for a new purpose. Gaming. Microsoft were playing around with motion control years ago. I doubt it's something they're scrabbling to catch up on from an R&D persective. Quite the opposite in fact. I'd say they could implement a Wiimote style peripheral tomorrow if they wanted to.

    Personally, it makes no odds to me. The Wiimote has already proven that, while great for certain types of games, it's no jack-of-all-trades like the trusted current controllers are. I'm skeptical about this whole motion control thing until somebody proves to me that it works, and I mean really works. Still, it will be interesting all the same to see what they come up with. Who knows, MS may be the one's to correct the inherent flaws in the Wiimote and SIXAXIS, and deliver motion control proper! :)
    Edited by 1 at 05/06/07 @ 10:35

  • joeking #15 5 years ago

    "The whole point is doing it first really."

    "No, the whole point is doing it well."

    +1

    Although I think the Wiimote has been a decent first step. Every new advancement has to start somewhere.

  • dog2_99 #16 5 years ago

    "No, the whole point is doing it well. "

    Agreed! imagine if MS did manage to do it well, wouldn't that be something. No more blurry GC style graphics and finally the removal of the need to put the tech into EVERY game! i like the motionsensor thing but only in a game where there is a real need/benefits from it! i wonder if this is always the case with the Wii games (yes i own one...somewhere under all the dust)

  • Weezer #17 5 years ago

    Uh, has he ever used a Wii? I don't agree that the Wiimote's resolution is at all bad or unusable. I've played Wii Bowling and Eledees and for that you need really good feedback. I can bowl in Wii Sports the same as I do in real life!

    I don't believe a video recognition system would be immediately superior to the Wii, which has multiple axes plus forwards/back and acceleration. How would you do that with a single camera - or even two? This sounds like motion capture which requires multiple cameras and a bodysuit covered in dots!

    Edited by 1 at 05/06/07 @ 10:46

  • ostrasized #18 5 years ago

    Video recognition? And how is this substantially different to EyeToy?

    Anyway, the wiimote has rumble and a speaker. Your 'racket' goes swish and 'bop' when it 'hits' the ball. This is a big part of the experience, Mr Gates ;-)

  • playgen #19 5 years ago

    It doesn't matter if microsoft make some motion sensing accessory for the 360, it won't harm the Wii. The real revolutionary thing about the wii remote is not the technology in it, but the fact it comes with the console as standard. Any games that require an additional accessory divide the user base between those who have it and those who don't, limiting the sales of any game that uses it.

  • gal2319 #20 5 years ago

    /crosses fingers whishing the camera won't come with 4 indication lights shaped as a ring...
    Edited by 1 at 05/06/07 @ 10:59

  • justMe #21 5 years ago

    Gates, as usual, is late to the party. He finally got hold of a Wii and realised that the future of gaming is in the interface. Unfortunately he will first have to be financially schooled by Nintendo...

  • ZeroAX #22 5 years ago

    pf stupid copy cat gates. he copys linux he copys nintendo he copys apple he copys sony and in the end his products still don't work. MS sucks. they just have the best marketing department in the world after coca cola.
    though the 360 is nice the red rings of death put me away from buying it. i hope my cousin's xbox doesn't get them
    Edited by 1 at 05/06/07 @ 11:07

  • zuljin #23 5 years ago

    @Steroyd
    "He's talking about video recognition (which is a NEW idea and nothing like the Eye-Toy), so it's most probably recognizing the action of your hand as a bat or something not literally swinging a bat.... at least i think he's not that crazy."

    How is the EyeToy different to what he's talking about?

  • tuff #24 5 years ago

    Gates - "It's a motion sensor......you swing the racket"

    Interviewer - "So it's just the same as the Wii?"

    Gates - "Errrr, no it's a camera thing actually....I think"

    Interviewer - "Like the Eye Toy?"

    Gates - "Errrr......what was the question again?"

  • Charroux #25 5 years ago

    It's pretty obvious that the success of the Wii has caught MS and Sony completely by surprise. We're almost certain to see some sort of motion-based (or hybrid motion/vision) controller on the Xbox within a year or so.

    "The whole point is doing it first really."
    "No, the whole point is doing it well."

    Actually, you're both wrong. It's the first to *market* it well, as long as the product is "good enough". Nintendo has got the marketing spot on (so far) and they have exploited their first-mover advantage brilliantly. The tech isn't perfect, but it seems to do the job well enough.

  • ray #26 5 years ago

    He was probably thinking about something like this: [link url=http://lostgarden.com/2006/08/flashlight-computer.html
    ]http://lo stgarden.com/2006/08/flashlight...[/link]

    Which would require your whole home connected to Microsoft.

  • DrDamn #27 5 years ago

    Sony (or a sony associated company) have demo'ed stuff like this at previous conferences using the Eyetoy. Not simply tracking movement but picking up a sword and it matching your motions. Will have to try and dig up a reference somewhere.

  • LOLLERS #28 5 years ago

    It's the first to *market* it well, as long as the product is "good enough".

    Yes, let not aim to do something amazingly good, lets just do somethign average and spend more on the marketing.

    I hate the world.

  • Steroyd #29 5 years ago

    How is the EyeToy different to what he's talking about?

    It was sarcasm hence putting NEW in capitals. ;)

    Who knows, MS may be the one's to correct the inherent flaws in the Wiimote and SIXAXIS, and deliver motion control proper! :)

    Hold on, what Sony have done with the Sixaxis and what Nintendo have done with the Wiimote are mutually exclusive you're either going to fix one flaw or the other, Nintendo offers you almost complete motion control including body movement gestures while Sony offers you a lighter motion sensory compared to the wii while keeping traditional gaming intact both are standard to each console respectively.

    And since when was there a Eurogamer.fr?

  • BM #30 5 years ago

    "This is why the Wii will be the number one in total selling system in the couple of months"

    Of course, when they actually get around to releasing some decent games for it. I'm STILL playing Wii Sports...

  • zuljin #31 5 years ago

    @Steroyd
    It's been a long day... And it ain't even noon yet...

  • Steroyd #32 5 years ago

    The Nintendo Wii doesn't need games to sell which the same can't be said of the Xbox 360 and PS3. :/

    @Zuljin

    OUCH!!
    Edited by 1 at 05/06/07 @ 11:31

  • agparrot #33 5 years ago

    Which would require your whole home connected to Microsoft.

    even the toilet? via a big pipe?

  • paulagmiller #34 5 years ago

    That would be way cool, though. But it is not a technology they are likely to deliver successfully for 5 years or so, I would guess. It will require a heap of CPU power, 3 dimensional spatial analysis, object recognition (something notoriously hard to deliver) and then some actual games...Also, I don't own a tennis racket. Would I have to buy one specially?

  • DrDamn #35 5 years ago

    See here ... link

    Eyetoy tech demos.

  • captainrentboy #36 5 years ago

    This sounds like bollox!!! Let the Wii do it's thing Bill, no matter how you look at it he seems to be trying to get a slice of the motion controlling action.
    I don't know why though, it bored me after 20 minutes...
    ''Ohhh look I can control it with my movement''
    ''It's not THAT accurate though is it?''
    ''Infact if I slightly flick my wrist it's making out I just made a massive swing''
    ''And my god the games look like shit on an hdtv''
    ''My shoulder hurts.....''
    ''Boooooored''
    I haven't used a Wii for 5 months now.

  • Steroyd #37 5 years ago

    Oh yeah i remember at E3 05 where Sony the PS2 Eye-toy on the PS3 and used coloured cups to pour water from cup to cup in the Yellow Ducks bath, I'll try and find that clip actually.

  • jonsaan #38 5 years ago

    For God's sake stop it, please. There is nothing wrong with a normal controller. If I want to swing a tennis racket I will go and play real tennis. Ditto football and cricket!
    Edited by 1 at 05/06/07 @ 11:43

  • Steroyd #39 5 years ago

    <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UaDvIPpQnQ&mode=r elated&search=>The Duck demo</a>

    It would be cool if Eye-toy was used more extensively for this type of stuff, and with the new Playstation Eye specs the some limitations might be lifted.

  • bigbadbeasty #40 5 years ago

    Microsoft were always going to copy the motion sensor idea. In the first month of the Wii's successful launch, it was always gonna happen.

    I find it disapointing that both Sony and Microsoft cannot come up with there own ideas for a control system that don't just seem like a rip off.

  • MGG #41 5 years ago

    @ZeroAx: "pf stupid copy cat gates. he copys linux he copys nintendo he copys apple he copys sony"


    Linux "was inspired by" UNIX + Apple + MS
    Nintendo "were inspired by" Atari
    Apple "were inspired by" Xerox Park who themselves "were inspired by" Doug Engelbart (google him!).
    Sony "were inspired by" a whole *lot* of people.

    Your point is what? That original inventors actually dont often make a lot of money? And that big business that comes along later does?

  • Hughes. #42 5 years ago

    lol @ this article

    lol @ these comments

    lol @ self for joining in

    ZOMGROFLMAO @ Bill being the new Ken Kutaragi

  • Steroyd #43 5 years ago

    I find it disapointing that both Sony and Microsoft cannot come up with there own ideas for a control system that don't just seem like a rip off.

    /waves

    Hellooooooo PS2's Eye-Toy? Anyone? No?

  • bigbadbeasty #44 5 years ago

    No

  • Steroyd #45 5 years ago

    Why?

  • Vin #46 5 years ago

    It doesn't have a Nintentard badge on it.

    Obviously, I'm right.

  • bigbadbeasty #47 5 years ago

    Nah, I am just teasing.

    I am just pissed off that Sony did the whole motion sensitive controller after Nintendo annouced the Wii. Even if 'they say' they were planning before hand to do it.

  • Steroyd #48 5 years ago

    It might really have not been like that, the PSP was rumoured to have motion sensing as well, I think that was why Mercury was made for the PSP, and then we had the Banana shaped PS3 controller, where the sides were too thin to accommodate rumble at least and how it was shaped like a wheel.

    So who knows they may have genuinely been sitting on the tech contemplating using it and when they saw the Wii go all balls out they thought why not?

    Well it was better than a motion sensorless and non rumbling pad anyway.

  • ChrisBravoTown #49 5 years ago

    I don't want a collection of cricket bats, tennis bats, golf clubs, bowling balls, ak-47's in my house. Just a wiimote.

  • Heds #50 5 years ago

    Is he not just talking about an extension of this XNA based system:

    [link url= http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=290587
    ]http://ch annel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?P...[/link]

    Which was shown at a conference earlier in the year? Let's you interact with stuff, so...

  • glaeken #51 5 years ago

    I don't see how MS can really be accused of copying motion sensing from Nintendo given MS had a motion sensor control around 10 years ago.

    Their current interest has of course been peaked due to Nintendo's current success but then this also why Sony came up with their Sixaxis as well.

    Nintendo did not invent motion sensing they just succeeded in getting the mass market to think it’s a great idea.

  • T.G. #52 5 years ago

    It seems that Bill talks a lot of shite these days... :/

  • Steroyd #53 5 years ago

    Since when has Bill not talked shite, he probably has a worse track record than Ken Kutaragi only difference being Ken talks shite that makes sense WAY WAY into the future where it's probably not even as big a deal anymore.

    People still bring up Bill quotes like 56K memory is enough for PC's or Xbox has infinite processing power or something and when PS3 launches it'll walk right into Halo etc etc.
    Edited by 1 at 05/06/07 @ 13:25

  • pikemon #54 5 years ago

    >Nintendo did not invent motion sensing they just succeeded in
    >getting the mass market to think it’s a great idea.

    Not to mention all the R&D that must have gone to making motion sensing a viable gaming product? Or did they just duct-tape motion sensing to two gamecubes, and throw it to the marketing department?

    I'm curious about the Microsoft Holodeck that Bill has in the works and will totally give it a spin when it hits the stores. Meanwhile, I can already enjoy the new type of controls on Wii.

  • Emth #55 5 years ago

    By the time Micro$oft have completed such a piece of hardware you're looking at maybe Q3 2008/Q4 2008 at the earliest. Then by the time there are really decent (i.e. Nintendo 1st party decent) games released that take good advantage of this hardware you are looking at Q4 2009/Q1 2010.

    That's a long time. I would expect Ninty to be well on the way with their next console by that time, and I would expect the Wii to have an amazing catalogue of games that take full advantage of the Wiimote.

    Long story short - even if this thing was in production today (which it doesn't sound like it is) it would be too late to be direct competition for the Wii.
    Edited by 2 at 05/06/07 @ 13:28

  • Steroyd #56 5 years ago

    Then by the time there are really decent (i.e. Nintendo 1st party decent) games released that take good advantage of this hardware you are looking at Q4 2009/Q1 2010.

    First Microsoft haven't even got their current batch of First party games "Nintendo Decent" LOL

    Second do you really think Nintendo would cut the Wii off in 4 years time?
    Even if the Wii is half as successful as the PS2 software sales-wise you're looking at talk of a next gen Wii in 2011 the earliest.

  • ZeroAX #57 5 years ago

    "@ZeroAx: "pf stupid copy cat gates. he copys linux he copys nintendo he copys apple he copys sony"


    Linux "was inspired by" UNIX + Apple + MS
    Nintendo "were inspired by" Atari
    Apple "were inspired by" Xerox Park who themselves "were inspired by" Doug Engelbart (google him!).
    Sony "were inspired by" a whole *lot* of people.

    Your point is what? That original inventors actually dont often make a lot of money? And that big business that comes along later does?"



    Man have you seen Windows VIsta????? It's a cheap knock off of macos. and worst thing i hate those bloody things

  • Duke_Red #58 5 years ago

    I don't see in what he said anything particularly original...

  • steoc4 #59 5 years ago

    I find it funny how MS talk about tech that's essentially an evolution of Sony's Eyetoy and everyone claims they're copying Nintendo's motion sensing controller which MS themselves already did many years before Nintendo, and which is nothing like what Bill was talking about anyway.

    Of all the conclusions that could be drawn, surely MS copying Nintendo belongs at the bottom of the list.

  • smoothn00dle #60 5 years ago

    This guy, knows no shame.. First, MacOS then Netscape then HDMI then Wii.. If things prove successfull, he will copy it.. He should shut his critical mouth up *v*

  • urban #61 5 years ago

    so it's not motion sensing it's an eye toy :)

  • SeesThroughAll #62 5 years ago

    "That’s a 3D positional device," Gates continued. "This is video recognition. This is a camera seeing what's going on."

    So, it's not ripping off the Wii, just the EyeToy.
    Nintendo fanboys can rest at ease.

  • MGG #63 5 years ago

    And having dev'ed for EyeToy, may I ask that whoever is going to come out with the real EyeToy 2.0 please come up with some way that it can handle differing light conditions. Just play testing the damn thing involved taping blinds to windows, doors to be locked shut and the banning of people casting shadows anywhere near the camera!

    Gaming, its not just for nerds locked in darkened bedrooms. Errr, hang on....

  • MGG #64 5 years ago

    @WaxBrazillian: sadly though, those "total knobs" are earning mega cash. Both in MS and Logo* "design" offices.


    As for OS's, I really think my next upgrade from XP will be to Linux. I'm simply too sick of having to work around the way MS says You. Must. Work. So probably off to SUSE or whatever for me. Its got to be better, surely?





    *And it looks like an abstract blow job. Whereas Vista is an abstract hand job.

  • ZeroAX #65 5 years ago

    WaxBrazillian first of all please speak proper english i didn't understand half of what you were sayong. second if you know about computers you would know that windows used to be a quality program until windows 98 (which rocked) after that it was.....horrible to sya the least. and if XP was somewhat good don't make me remind you of Me.

    and ffs i'm not talking about OS years ago i'm talking about them NOW. and the now windows suck.


    btw guys(not going to you but to everyone) do you even know what innovation REALLY means? it's when an idea or pproduct enters the market for the first time. completely new things are called inventions

  • SeesThroughAll #66 5 years ago

    first of all please speak proper english i didn't understand half of what you were sayong.

    LOL, this was funny.

  • MGG #67 5 years ago

    "btw guys(not going to you but to everyone) do you even know what innovation REALLY means? it's when an idea or pproduct enters the market for the first time. completely new things are called inventions"

    Errr, isn't an innovation a new idea or twist on an existing idea? By your definition, innovation and invention are one and the same thing, although at different stages (invention from design, innovation from entering the market) of the development process. Would you like to buy a dictionary?



    Look, and without mentioning the typo's and mis-spelling. Until now, of course.

  • MGG #68 5 years ago

    Oh and also Win98 only rocked if you didn't have experience of using a real OS. At the time, that would be Solaris, various flavours of Unix, etc.

  • ZeroAX #69 5 years ago

    MGG believe me I'm right those are the terms used in business and science now gaming press uses them in another way. would you like to buy a real dictionary?

  • Charroux #70 5 years ago

    "second if you know about computers you would know that windows used to be a quality program until windows 98 (which rocked)"

    O_o

    Hmm... the first decent OS MS produced was Win2K. *Every* consumer-level windows OS before that one was utterly shocking - the consumer line especially, not least because of the shite stability and non-existent access control (a network? the Inter-watsit? - we'll just pretend they don't really exist). NT was OK, but it hardly "rocked".
    Edited by 1 at 05/06/07 @ 19:13

  • Vin #71 5 years ago

    "Is he not just talking about an extension of this XNA based system:
    [link url=http://ch annel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?P...
    ]http://ch annel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?P...[/link]
    Which was shown at a conference earlier in the year? Let's you interact with stuff, so.."

    Hot shit.

    Man, if this sucker enters the market and it's totally interactive AND affordable - hell, you wouldn't have to worry about Wii shortages.


  • Kami #72 5 years ago

    As I said before, the thing isn't getting in and doing something first, because heck, anyone can come up with a half-arsed original to semi-original idea.

    The point is doing it well at right time and with the right demonstration and boom, the idea snatches the imaginations of people. You make the mark, you show the world it works and people follow.

    It's not the first time Nintendo have been in this position, and yes, of course they didn't invent motion sensing and of course their rivals were going to pick up on it if it was successful (which it's proving to be). However, as some have said, if you want to take on this new boy you have to improve massively on the idea to be able to stand alone, or be forever seen as the imitator, the imposter.

    Microsoft have the money and talent to really make something different here. However, they really should be more honest - "Yes, due to the success of Eyetoy and the Wii, we are developing our own little gimmick device". They'd never do it, but it's how industry works and I'd just like someone to do that honest bit.

  • smelly #73 5 years ago

    >He sounds jealous of the success of wii if you ask me.

    Its not jealousy if you plan to copy and improve upon someone elses success..

    Mind you.. thats always been the case hasnt it?

    Thats how the world works.. you see something succesful and think "ooh, i could do that - but better"

    Edited by 1 at 05/06/07 @ 20:33

  • Tonka #74 5 years ago

    Oh Bill. What was your favourite game of the Xbox launch again? Does swinging a real tennis rack around your living room sound like a good idea? Let's bring in some golf clubs shall we.

    Just go on and subsidize a product no ones willing to pay full whack for.


    Addaboy