GDC Panel Info Hints At Open PlayStation Move Development On PCs

Sony could be working on a new project that opens up software development for its PlayStation Move controller to PC-based tinkerers, according to a Game Developers Conference 2011 session description. The online description for SCEA Senior Developer Support Engineer John McCutchan's GDC lecture 'Update on PlayStation Move Development' refers to "the new Move Server project that will make it possible for academics and hobbyists to develop software using the PlayStation Move controller on their own PCs." The PlayStation Move setup uses the USB-powered PlayStation Eye camera to track the position of glowing handheld controllers, which communicate their orientation via bluetooth. So adapting their use for the PC would theoretically be as simple as releasing a set of supporting drivers. Microsoft's 3D Kinect camera was famously hacked for use on PCs within days of its November release, with a set of homebrew drivers allowing programmers to create a wide variety of game demos and artistic works. Kinect hardware maker PrimeSense later released an official set of drivers for PC-based Kinect tinkering, and Microsoft has promised eventual XNA support for the device. In November, Sony announced it had sold over 4 million handheld Move controllers since the controller's launch two months before. The sponsored GDC visual arts session, set for Wednesday, March 2, will also include general information on Move development and tips for how to use the Move's Sharpshooter accessory.