Iwata expected rival motion tech in 2008

By Tom Bramwell Published 10 June, 2009

"Nintendo will not be standing still."

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said that he anticipated the announcement of competing motion controllers in 2008.

"To tell the truth, I expected them to come up with stuff like this last year. So in my mind they're later than expected," he told The Times. "I'd like to say to them, 'Welcome to the motion-control world!'

However, he pointed out, there are no details on software support, pricing or availability from Sony or Microsoft, both of whom demonstrated competing technologies at E3 last week.

"So, I am not in a position to judge whether they are a threat or not. And they should bear in mind that over the next year Nintendo will not be standing still.

"We're always at work on something new. I am actually looking forward to engaging in that sort of competition, because it gives our whole industry the chance to expand the gaming population."

Iwata's pet project at the moment, he said, is the Wii Vitality Sensor, which surprised the audience at Nintendo's conference.

According to Iwata, it also surprised his own employees, because he hadn't told them about it and had even edited the conference video himself on the plane to Los Angeles from Japan.

"This is what I find interesting," he said of the device, which measures bloodflow to gauge relaxation levels. "The idea of making something that is invisible, visible is fascinating."

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (15) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Cid #1 3 years ago

    The vitality sensor is the future.

  • Charlie_Miso #2 3 years ago

    The real next gen.

  • LazyDan #3 3 years ago

    From The Onion:

    "If there’s anything our nation's video gamers need to learn, it’s how to take a little time for themselves and unwind.”

    I don't actually hate the idea of the vitality sensor. I remember thinking the Rumble Pak was ridiculous back in the day, and look at that now - so I've learnt to wait until I see it. I think this'll be a peripheral on a par with rumble - doesn't add anything game-changing, but is a nice little enhancement. Obviously the device itself looks a bit silly, but so did the Rumble Pak - it'll probably end up being part of the controller in later generations.

    Think big - imagine if a Resident Evil game knew how tense you were/weren't by detecting if your heart rate is going mental or not. Developers could play on that in a fun way. Or needing to be above/below a certain threshold before being able to do something. Or character's dialogue changing based on how excited/relaxed you are. It has the potential to be a total gimmick, or it'll work quite nicely and everyone'll rip it off.

    ála d-pad, thumb joystick, rumble, controller based motion control....................

  • Skooch #4 3 years ago

    Only in Japan.

  • BartonFink #5 3 years ago

    Vitalolity sensor lol.

  • CallousB #6 3 years ago

    I'm not convinced the vitality sensor will be used in many core games. I'm guessing they will be trying to enter the self help/self hypnosis market using the sensor as a way of measuring how deeply you are relaxed.

    I wouldn't be surprised to see the sensor alongside Wii - Meditation, Wii -Stop Smoking, Wii -Think yourself thin.. etc. As the balance board was to fitness DVD's, the sensor could be to self help/self improvement.

    It's a giant market that Nintendo could tap into...and having a device to give you feed back could be a big draw for those who invest in self help products.

    ..of course there's also the possiblity of it being used as a lie detector.

  • Fodder #7 3 years ago

    Aren't all games controlled by motion already? Or have I missed a console that uses mind control?

  • oerhoert #8 3 years ago

    Good, or at least inventive, derail try. :)

  • makeamazing #9 3 years ago

    The vitality sensor is not for games, its a gimmick.

  • zedzee #10 3 years ago

    Yes, but Nin have marginalised themselves with the Revolution (I'm sorry, but I just can't bring myself to call it by its brand name), because it's crap at doing anything but so-called "social" gaming...Let's face it, even the "Music" game as a bit sh*te and that's according to die-hard Nin fans.

    So, now that MS and Sony have their own answer to the Revolution AND maintain their 'traditional' game streams, it seems poor old Nin is going to see its segment saturated with no chance of fighting back... unless they abandon the current console and release a new one, powerful enough to compete with the other two in traditional market segments.

    But I don't see that happening for a number of reasons, such as saturation...I don't believe the traditional market can support three consoles but the Nin niche can and that's too bad for them. Ha ha!

  • Burkey123 #11 3 years ago

    I still don't get what the vitality sensor is for!? I want to see some software.

  • Zomeguy #12 3 years ago

    The vitality sensor is not for games, its a gimmick.
    Yeah, games are srs bznz!

  • electrolite #13 3 years ago

    @zedzee

    Do you also believe in the tooth fairy?

  • davisorle #14 3 years ago

    So.. the dude that is working on a pet game.. is bringing the future? and do we know wtf is he on about? lmfao

  • smelly #15 3 years ago

    >Let's face it, even the "Music" game as a bit sh*te and that's according to die-hard Nin fans.


    I dont think it is.. I think it's brilliant (when appreciated from the view point of its target audience - 6 year olds)



    >because it's crap at doing anything but so-called "social" gaming

    You're trolling now arent you? That's like saying microsoft are crap at doing anything which isnt fps games... Actually do microsoft actually make games - or just buy studios to do it for them?

    Regardless of which - mario galaxy is the best game i've played on ANY of the 3 "current" consoles... And it's not a "social" game.. so you're obviously wrong.
    Edited by 1 at 10/06/09 @ 20:57