PS3 motion-sensing controller due spring 2010

Sony saved its big new hardware announcement for last week's GamesCom in Cologne, Germany, saying that the ergonomic PlayStation 3 Slim would be available for $299 beginning the first week of September. However, Sony also had a substantive PS3-related hardware announcement during this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in June, where it demoed its new camera-based motion-sensing controller.

As part of an interview with The Times of London today, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Kaz Hirai said that gamers can expect to see the PS3's latest motion-sensing controller in stores sometime during spring 2010.

"We are slating it for spring of next year," he told The Times. "One of the things is that we just don't want to put out the controller. We need great software that supports the controller at launch. It's something that we've been working on for the longest time."

Hirai did not elaborate on which games would support the controller at launch. Sony demoed the device using a number of prototype games in July, showing on one end of the spectrum a tennis game and on the other a first-person fantasy action adventure. SCEA senior vice president of marketing Peter Dille later noted that various third-party developers have already gotten their hands on the new technology.

With a spring 2010 launch, it appears as if Sony's motion-sensing controller will beat Microsoft's similar technology to market. The Xbox 360 maker also unveiled its own camera-based motion-sensing device, code-named Project Natal, during E3 2009. However, the publisher has yet to establish a firm date on when that device will be available.