Motion control for the Xbox 360: Gametrak Freedom

(Credit: IGN)

Whether or not you think the Xbox 360 could use a motion controller, Performance Designed Products (or PDP) will be releasing such a device for the console this fall called the Gametrak Freedom. While the Freedom will use several accelerometers for mapping pitch, roll, and yaw, the controller differs from the Wii remote because of something called ultrasonic 3D positioning.

Unlike the Wii remote, which uses an infrared (IR) lamp for operation, the Freedom will come with two sensors that will be placed on both sides of your display. This setup will enable a more accurate dimensional detection along with more precise measurements of speed and orientation. Supposedly this technology will require more specific movements from the user, different from the Wii remote that is occasionally easy to fool.

While this might sound like a significant leap from the Wii remote's capabilities, we're most concerned about the availability of games that will take advantage of this kind of control system. Instead of relying solely on third-party developers, PDP has produced a title in-house called Squeeballs. The game will offer 11 different minigames with 150 challenges in total. Squeeballs will be available for Xbox 360 along with the launch of the Gametrak Freedom later this year. PDP claims there are in fact other developers programming Freedom-compatible games, all of which have yet to be announced.

PDP hopes to release the Gametrak Freedom in the fall, with a PlayStation 3 version coming out sometime in 2010.

(Source: IGN)