A small camera bundled with games that encourages you to make a fool of yourself in front of your mates is proving a summer hit for Sony.
The EyeToy is a novel controller for the PlayStation 2 (PS2) which uses body movements, rather than a joypad to play a game. The camera, which comes with 12 mini-games, has sold more than 250,000 copies according to unofficial figures since it was launched in Europe a month ago. "It draws in so many people that don"t normally play video games," said EyeToy developer Ron Festejo, "within five to 10 seconds you know how to play."
Party on
The appeal of the EyeToy lies in its simplicity. Instead of relying on a traditional pad with a myriad of buttons, the games with the camera are all controlled by movement. The EyeToy itself is a small camera that plugs into a USB port on the front of the PS2 and sits on the TV facing you. The camera then watches you and, based on your movements, different activities can happen on the screen. It uses motion-tracking technology which was first developed by Sony in the US three years ago.