News
Is Sony's Motion Controller Called "The Gem?"
Is It Called Anything?
It’s getting frustrating talking about the new controllers coming out for the Xbox 360 and PS3. When talking about Microsoft’s offering, we can simply say “Natal,” and people know what we’re talking about. On the Sony side, though, we’re getting sick of calling it “Sony’s motion controller.” The damn thing needs a name. We thought we might have one yesterday when EA’s John Riccitiello referred to the “Natal and Gem” at the UBS 37th Annual Global Media Conference in New York, but now it looks like that name isn’t final.
"Gem" was "an early code name for the product," says SCEA director of communications Patrick Seybold, adding "We haven't announced final name at this point." This doesn’t mean that “Gem” won’t be the name, just that it isn’t necessarily the name. “Gem” is the second rumored name for the device; at a different investor conference this fall, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot referred to the nameless pointer as the “MoCon,” likely a portmanteau of “motion” and “controller.”
Whether it’s “MoCon” or “Gem” or “Stick With a Ping Pong Ball On It” (SWAPPBOI, for short), Sony needs to give this thing a name. They are further along in development of games that support their device than Microsoft is, but it’s a lot easier to publicize a new technology when it has a name. The longer they wait to name it, the more people will have heard of the Natal, but only vaguely remember hearing something about some Sony device, too. Letting the device go any longer without a name is tantamount to marketing suicide, and I’d hate to see that happen to Sony…again.
Comments
I can honestly say, this is truly outrageous.
What I find funny is how both MS and Sony labeled the Wii a gimmicky system.... but now are following suit like it's the hottest thing ever made.
Why must everyone follow suit with nintendo, can't they come up with their own ideas sometimes?
Gem - (noun): 1. a cut and polished precious stone or pearl fine enough for use in jewelry. 2. something likened to or prized as such a stone because of its beauty or worth
Natal - (adjective): 1. of or pertaining to a person's birth: celebrating one's natal day. 2. presiding over or affecting a person at birth
I would rather have a gem in my home.
@Zantagor - Probably because the Wii really is "the hottest thing ever made."
@Zantagor: You're right, but they all copy each other. Some just more than others. Sony copies both Nintendo (Home, Sixaxis) and Microsoft (Trophies). Microsoft copies Nintendo (Avatars), Nintendo copies Microsoft and Sony (Movie service). So really, Sony copies more than anyone else. At least we benefit from it all.
@Sean: Actually, Natal is named after Natal, Brazil because it was developed there.
@TimO - I ain't never heard of no such place. Is it in America?
I was frantically checking the comments to see if anyone has used the line "truly outrageous," because I wanted to be the first to utter this hilarious reference, but alas, TimO has beaten me to it. Kudos and accolades, TimO, my liege.
Giving 3:1 odds someone in the US will stick the Gem up their ass at launch, take a pic, and post it on 4Chan before someone in Japan does it on 2ch.
Swappboi has a nice ring to it, if you ask me. :D
@Karoshi - Lock of the year.
@ozymandias: Why thank you kind sir.
@Sean: Why yes! It's Natal, Virginia!