The PS3 wand is called Arc - report News • News • Eurogamer.net

News PlayStation 3

But will it still launch this spring?

Sony's going to call the new PS3 wand Arc, according to a new report circulating this morning.

VG247 claims to have confirmed the name with a trusted inside source. Sony declined to answer Eurogamer's request for comment on grounds of "rumour and speculation".

Sony's yet to announce a proper name for the motion sensing wand, which appears to have slipped out of a much-publicised spring 2010 appearance and into a murkier "this year" arrival. A delay, however, has not been confirmed.

Names linked with the PS3 wand have included Sphere and Gem, although the latter turned out to be "an early code name for the product".

Console rival Microsoft also enters the motion-sensing market this year with the ambitious Project Natal, scheduled for autumn. A slip for "Arc" may bring about a head-to-head collision.

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Comments (60) Latest comment 2 years ago

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MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #1 2 years ago

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Is that because they come two-by-two?
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BabyJesus #2 2 years ago

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An ark thank god, just in time to prepare for the Armageddon in 2012.
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Beano #3 2 years ago

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I like Arc... Gem was better though

Edited by 1 at 19/01/10 @ 11:20
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Mkwone #4 2 years ago

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Well Arc is less puffy than wand and certainly less so than gem.

I just hope it delivers though, still it has got some big name support (LBP and Resi to name just two)
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M_of_the_sys #5 2 years ago

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Oooh a comment section for bad jokes! This should keep me entertained all day.
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Flying_Pig #6 2 years ago

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Arc. Hmmm. Not too bad actually. I mean 'NATAL' - what's that all about?
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Jesus: Action Figure #7 2 years ago

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September is when it's out.
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BartonFink #8 2 years ago

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Should call it Baalls
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Syrok #9 2 years ago

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" I mean 'NATAL' - what's that all about?"

The birth of a new form of gaming. ^.^
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Gurgeh #10 2 years ago

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Where's my arc?

[link url=http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=tnDhZ5VPUNA
]http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=tnDhZ5VPUNA
[/link]
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the_dudefather #11 2 years ago

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If it doesn't do well will it be burned at the stake for heresy?
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awb83 #12 2 years ago

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I couldn't be less interested in this or natal quite frankly.
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awb83 #13 2 years ago

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Natal is justa fancy Eye-Toy camera FFS
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redneon Verified Programmer, SUMO Digital #14 2 years ago

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Has it got a big room for poo?
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Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #15 2 years ago

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Noah way!

Um... Rhino what they're up to.

Um... Are they having a giraffe?

Right anyway I quite like the name. Gem's rubbish thank god that's gone. Can't wait for an autumn showdown if that turns out to be the case. Here we come fiesty advertising fight!
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MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #16 2 years ago

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Natal is justa fancy Eye-Toy camera FFS

And 'arc' is just a pair of glowing plastic cornettos with triggers that you wave at a regular eyetoy camera.

By which I mean to say there's rather more to them both.
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themorganator #17 2 years ago

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"Natal is justa fancy Eye-Toy camera FFS"

oh dear, what an educated comment.
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penhalion #18 2 years ago

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What does the name Arc have to do with a pointing device?

Sometimes you seriously have to question whether anyone in these big comapnies actually makes a decision or are simply too afraid to speak up. I mean if I had been in that meeting it would have been:-

Marketting: Let's call the wand ARC
Me: Why?
Marketting: It sounds cool.
Me: And people will know it's a motion controller because?
Marketting: We'll simply say the ARC motion controller in all the press releases.
Me: Why not just call it a wand?
Marketting: Because wand implies a pointing device that makes magical things happen and we don't want that.
Me: Er yes actually we do.....
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MORZTAN #19 2 years ago

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They are gonna need an Arc to sail through the sea of shitty casual games.

Arc is a very bad name IMO.
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GreyBeard #20 2 years ago

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I think Sony'll probably release it sometime between E3 and Natal launch.

Leave MS to drum up maximum attention for motion controlled gaming at the show, and then try to steal their thunder by getting their product and a roster of comparable titles out ahead of them.

Worst case is if it fails to generate much interest then its failure might take the shine off of Natal too in the press. If it does well they've beaten MS to the punch...

Either way its a good for Sony to try and disrupt MS's momentum going into Natal's launch.
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Zomoniac #21 2 years ago

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" I mean 'NATAL' - what's that all about?"

The birth of a new form of gaming. ^.^

Very droll
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richardiox #22 2 years ago

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Spring-lol

Why do Sony always write cheques their butts can't cash when it comes to release dates?As soon as they said the wand would launch this Spring I smelt a dirty rotten egg.

PS3 console Euro launch originally announced for Spring 2006, then dated for November 2006, came out Spring 2007
PS Home launch originally announced for Autumn 2007 - still in Beta as of Jan 2009(!)
GT5(years) pushed from Autumn 09 to March 2010 and now beyond
GT PSP announced / box art shown etc May 2004, released October 2009

Trouble is you get a case of "boy who cried wolf" and you cant take any future hardware dates from them seriously
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Negotiator #23 2 years ago

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Why don't they just call it,"Wii-mote part 2 we copy Nintendo but please don't sue Sony controller", I think that has a catchy ring to it.
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Beano #24 2 years ago

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"What does the name Arc have to do with a pointing device? "

It's not just a pointing device - it's also a motion controller.
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metalmike25 #25 2 years ago

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Uh-oh it's that guy again who's sexually aroused by natal. Please thell me they're paying you or i'm gonna have to call the men in white coats to come get you
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chrisola #26 2 years ago

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I can see meetings at Activision about implementing Arc and Natal now in the COD series,

"Well, if we went back to WW2 we can have a level where players attend a Nazi rally,and they can wave and salute in real time."

"We could use Natal so players can actually break an attack dogs neck with their own hands!"

etc
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M4RV #27 2 years ago

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"We could use Natal so players can actually break an attack dogs neck with their own hands!"

^ ^ ^ ^

As a matter of fact, not a bad idea at all really. However, I can already imagine animal rights protesting against such ( AWESOME...!!! ) implementation.
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M_of_the_sys #28 2 years ago

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It's just a matter of time before we find out whether this sinks or floats. Wink wink.
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Beek4257 #29 2 years ago

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"Arm Required Controller" is in, you need one arm to ... ah, forget it.
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DonnieDarko333 #30 2 years ago

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Definately not out this spring, it'll be released September 2010....i'll eat my hat if it is...even though i'm not wearing one...
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Sonic_D #31 2 years ago

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Is it called Arc because everyone needs to buy two of them to control games (since there is no Wii nunchuck style controller to accompany it as yet)?
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leftlion #32 2 years ago

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Arc eh?....maybe they'll finally release the boomerang controllers with the wands built in!
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schnide #33 2 years ago

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All Research Copied
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schnide #34 2 years ago

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Or..

Actively Recruiting Casuals!
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M4RV #35 2 years ago

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Actually Recovering Costs

- - - -

Makes more sense to me.
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Boomerang #36 2 years ago

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Always Recruiting Chavs?

Edited by 1 at 19/01/10 @ 12:52
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makeamazing #37 2 years ago

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Yeah i think September would be a good release date, give it a couple of months before Natal, why release it earlier in the year when they still have some big games coming out... might as well spend more time developing for it also... it did seem alittle soon when they stated spring.

I think its going to be nigh on impossible to know which format wins anyway (guess console sales is the best bet).
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Stu #38 2 years ago

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I think they're barcing up the wrong tree with this one...
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Mono_X #39 2 years ago

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Arc is OK, could've been a lot worse TBH.

I remember when my pals and I first heard the name Playstation - we thought that was a crap name!
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knightmt #40 2 years ago

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Nerd alert.

Oh dear, what has an arc got to do with motion control.
Let me see, I would of thought some people might have some knowledge of geometry,
after all it is mathematics.
God I am sure that there are going to be loads of games where we wave our arms in circles, but really I am hoping more for arc of fire.
An electric arc may be a more metaphorical analogy.
Or Aids Related Complex?
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koopa #41 2 years ago

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Launch title: Arc the Lad
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tachometer #42 2 years ago

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should be good for ARCade games
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M_of_the_sys #43 2 years ago

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@knightmt

I think you're going round in circles now.
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callum9999 #44 2 years ago

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Why is copying always an issue? Copying is always taking place in every industry on the planet, and by all 3 of the console manufacturers. Copying something and adding your own new ideas/technology to something is how you get progress.
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schnide #45 2 years ago

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Copying an issue? There's taking inspiration and improving on it, and then there's blatant desperation in the name of catch-up.

Arc and Natal are at the very least a good healthy mix of both.

January's EDGE put it pretty well - Nintendo have last-gen tech but it's Microsoft and Sony playing catch up, Nintendo don't have to copy anyone. Well, for now
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Roland_D11 #46 2 years ago

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Hmm, 'Arc', really?

MS has a keyboard and mouse series called 'Arc' already, does Sony really want to use that name? I can't believe that...
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wez_316 #47 2 years ago

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I'm hoping this means that Arc the Lad is going to mascot for the Sony Arc

Anybody remember the PS1 games? Awesome! They should totally put the Arc The Lad collection on PSN.
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Distributor #48 2 years ago

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Arc? I dont think so. Microsoft has an Arc mouse. Im sure it would be conflicting with the naming....

Oh roland already mentioned this. silly me.

Edited by 1 at 19/01/10 @ 16:28
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GamesConnoisseur #49 2 years ago

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Arc? I doubt this is real story cos it would amaze me if company like Sony settles on a vague naming wheras their track record to date been good. Simple, clear and strong.

Eye Toy
Playstation
Walkman

etc

Arc comes off worse compared to them and so..... Really?!
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Dizzy #50 2 years ago

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So it will be called The WaveStick then?

Edited by 1 at 19/01/10 @ 17:24
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AOFanboi #51 2 years ago

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I got yer Natal right here.

Arc? Corny name. But so was Wii.
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freakzilla #52 2 years ago

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Wand is perfect. Everyone has been calling it wand, if only Sony paid attention to what the consumers are saying.
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Chazmeister #53 2 years ago

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Wand made a lot more sense than Arc, if indeed that is what it's going to be called.
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JamieR #54 2 years ago

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I agree with chaz and freak wand is a better name. arc makes me think of childish books of animals and floods
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Murton #55 2 years ago

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Everyone's just gonna keep calling it the wand anyway, doesn't really matter what it's official name is does it?

I'm not bothered what the controller is called to be honest, I just want to hear about what sort games are going to be made to go with it so that I can decide whether or not I'm going to buy one. I've heard LBP and Resi 5 will be patched to use it I'm but I'd rather know what's being made specifically for it.
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ChocNut #56 2 years ago

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Why don't they just call it what it looks like? Knob

I thought wii controller was ok but bored by it now - Natal looks interesting but this is a waste of time by Sony.

Should be working on glasses-free 3d screens if you ask me!
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JohnnyWashnGo #57 2 years ago

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Its arc way decent lol
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hahayou #58 2 years ago

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@GamesConnoisseur

Yes, but their track record also includes sixaxis, qore, and my personal nomination for worst name ever: xrossmediabar (XMB).
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GamesConnoisseur #59 2 years ago

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@GamesConnoisseur

Yes, but their track record also includes sixaxis, qore, and my personal nomination for worst name ever: xrossmediabar (XMB).

Fair point, though sixaxis is not too bad but preferred DualShock obviously, the other two are just additional features. The naming of main entertainment or multimedia devices are much better though.

xmb - dashboard... yeah I know whichs comes across better!
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AdamWest1 #60 2 years ago

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UPDATE: PS3 ARC COMING THIS FALL WITH A "KOWNAGE EXPANSION PACK" (probebly just bundled with ps eye but who knows)

SOURCE: PS3Arc.com
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