Sony Move gamers armed with assault rifle controllers

Lovers of PlayStation 3 console shooter video games are being armed with assault rifle controllers by accessory makers playing into battle hero fantasies.

CTA Digital and Nyko were at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas with mock arsenals synched to the motion-sensing capabilities of Move control gear Sony released late last year for its popular PS3 hardware.

Move controllers, which are reminiscent of small black flashlights topped with brightly colored orbs, allow gamers to control PS3 play with swings, jabs and other natural movements instead of the toggle-and-button commands that have been trademarks of play on PS3 and rival Xbox 360 consoles by Microsoft.

"Instead of pointing and shooting with a wand, this gives you the actual feel of a gun," the Brooklyn-based wholesaler's director of e-commerce Barry Silberstein told AFP while hefting a rifle controller in his hands.

"People are going crazy over it."

The CTA rifle just hit the global market and was available at online shop Amazon.com for 65 dollars or less, according to Silberstein.

One version of the rifle is a shell that Move wands can be inserted into for play. A second version is a complete controller that wirelessly synch's to PS3 consoles. Action is directed with buttons on barrel housing and a trigger.

"Instead of playing 'Black Ops' with a wand controller you go shoot and reload," Silberstein said. "It's a cool gun."

CTA has had a Move submachine gun controller out for a couple of months and expected to have a Move sniper rifle complete with targeting scope available by March.

Nyko was at CES to show off a 25-dollar "Power Shot" tactical rifle that houses the Move wand and a nun chuck-style navigation control piece to allow rifle style game play.

Power Shot players can "brace it against your shoulder for pinpoint accuracy" and boasts a "spring-loaded trigger," Nyko said in its description of the Move accessory.

Sony is to release its own Sharpshooter machine gun style Move accessory in February to coincide with the release of a new installment to the hit "Killzone" shooter videogame tailored for play on the PS3.

Sharpshooter was expected to be price at 40 dollars.

CTA also had Move controllers crafted as mock archery sets, swords and shields.

CTA showed off mock bowling balls, golf clubs, tennis racquets and ping pong paddles adapted to house Move controllers.

"People like them a lot," Silberstein said. "It gives you a true feeling of the game."

He noted that CTA has been slightly stymied coming up with controller accessories for Xbox 360 Kinect devices that let players control the Microsoft videogame consoles using natural gestures and voice commands.

"Our bowling ball for Kinect is just a plastic ball," Silberstein said. "Instead of just moving your hand, you actually hold a ball."

(c) 2011 AFP