14 DAY TRIAL // Sony has confirmed that it plans to delay the release of Eye Pet to some point in 2010, probably in spring. Initial reports coming from retailer GameStop pointed to a new April release date. The videogame was set to be launched in time for Christmas 2009, with Sony hoping that its casual element would appeal to parents who are looking to offer their kids a title for the holidays.
A statement coming from Sony Computer Entertainment read “The North American territory has decided to take additional time to focus on the EyePet product and can confirm it will not be available this holiday. EyePet is an innovative and exciting new IP to the PS3 platform and SCEA marketing will spend additional time to continue educating consumers and retail channels, setting the table for a successful product launch. We will provide more details on an updated launch timeframe very soon.”
Eye Pet is a virtual companion game in which the player needs to take care of a virtual creature. There are a variety of character designs you can choose from but the most impressive feature of the videogame is the way the animal can interact with real world objects using the Eye Toy camera. Employing any real world object in its pre-determined field of view will allow the title to determine what it is and generate ways for the pet to interact with it. The camera also allows the player to actually touch the pet in game.
The description makes it clear that Eye Pet is one of the games that can benefit the most from full integration with the new Sony wand motion tracking technology. The delay might actually be motivated by a desire on Sony's part to actually use it as a launch title for the new tech, which at the moment does not have a catchy name (drop Sony an e-mail if you have a suggestion).