Sony PlayStation Move UK launch date and pricing confirmed
Sony has confirmed the European release date and final pricing information for its motion-sensor Move hardware, which looks set to bother Nintendo's Wii motion sensor
15 September. That's the day we holly-jolly folks in Britain get our hands on Sony's Wii-bothering PlayStation Move motion controller. That's not very far away at all, and more importantly gives it a minor edge over Microsoft's controller-less Kinect system for the Xbox, which releases in the US on 4 November, with a UK release date expected to be not too far off that.
Sony has also revealed how much the new hardware will cost and -- surprise! It's expensive! The Move controller itself (that's the one with the bobble on top) will retail for €39.99 -- that's about £33, while the Navigation Controller (which connects wirelessly to the Move controller to add extra buttons and functionality) will set you back €29.99, or about £25.
The PlayStation Eye (on the left in the image above) is a webcam-like device that sits atop your telly and tracks the Move's, er, movements. It's already available for around £25.
If that's all sounding a bit pricey, that's because -- well -- it is. People getting into Move for the first time, however, will be able to buy a bundle option, which packs a Move controller, Playstation Eye and a starter disc for €59.99, which equates to around £50 in British monies. That doesn't include the Navigation controller, which we have no doubt will prove essential for playing some games further down the line.
A peripheral to turn the Move into a lightgun-style device will also be available for the sum total of €14.99 (that's about £12) and a charging dock to restore the Move's tired batteries can be yours for £25.
We're disappointed to see Sony isn't doing much to compete with the Wii price-wise. As anyone who owns a Wii console will know, trying to cobble together four Wii Remotes and four nunchucks to get the whole family playing is so expensive it usually requires the black-market sale of at least one vital organ.
Also bear in mind that, although we've helpfully converted the prices in euros into Great British pounds for UK readers, we wouldn't be in the least surprised if Sony just exchanged the euro sign for a pound sign and slapped them on the shelves at a higher price relative to what gamers are paying elsewhere in Europe.
What do you think of the pricing? Too expensive? Just right? Will the Move cripple the casual gaming juggernaut that is Nintendo? Or will Microsoft's Kinect flatten them all under its enormous controller-less boot? How do you feel about an excessive number of questions within one paragraph? Sound off in the comments, or on our Facebook fan page.