Move Launch Title Sports Champions Is Getting Plenty Of Positive Word Of Mouth.

Word of mouth is extremely positive within the hardcore circles. Conceptually the device bares resemblance to the Wii; but there's a sense that this is what many of us were originally expecting from Nintendo's foray into motion controls. It's the hardcore gamers that Sony have been targeting over the past few weeks. Marketing has been light in the mainstream media, with Sony clearly hoping the savvy gamers will push the device into the mainstream. And it already appears to be - forum users are raving about how their daughters, wives and girlfriends can't stop playing EyePet and Start The Party. And that's the exact effect that made the Wii such a hit. But, now the Move is on everyone's lips, Sony need to capitalise.

It doesn't matter that the Move's got barely any pre-release marketing. It doesn't matter one bit. Because the type of people that were already sold on Move, are the type of people that read PushSquare. Marketing for that crowd's unnecessary. And it's that crowd that's pushed the Move straight to the top of multiple online retailer's best-sellers lists.

It's now that the marketing must start. In fact, it's paramount if Sony want this thing to catch-on. Sony's clearly planning on Move having legs, and I find that refreshing. However, you have to capitalise while people are talking about your product. Move is pretty hot property now. Most gamers are talking about it. As such, many casuals will have a periphery knowledge of the device. Sony could catch those players if they pushed the system into their conscious. Demo pods are going to be vastly important. Sony need to get these into supermarkets, because it's only when you actually get your hands on Move that you feel the difference with regards to the Wii.

I'm aware of a couple of pods here in British supermarkets, but there are not nearly enough. That's ok, because I still see this as the infancy stage of Move's marketing. But over the next two months, particularly through October, Sony need to make sure the device gets into as many hands as possible. Getting people talking about Move, will get them talking about PlayStation and all the inherent advantages that platform provides. We know what they are, but a lot of people don't. Sony can beat Microsoft to the push. I genuinely believe Move could be a fairly well established platform before the Kinect arrives.

And that's key here. Sony would do well to remember that they have the advantage in this motion control war. Microsoft might have a marketing budget that exceeds half a billion dollars; but Sony have a motion controller that's familiar to consumers, notably better than the current standard, affordable and available now. Even more important though, Sony's somehow managed to appeal to the existing PlayStation audience aswell as the mainstream. And by appealing to gamers like you and me, Sony's managed to find a core base for the device. As gamers, we're talking very positively about Move. And it's only so long before that filters through to the mainstream audience. The question is whether Sony will be able to convert mainstream awareness into sales.

“Twiggy” is an anonymous PushSquare columnist who has been spotted in three major cities across the globe. It’s rumoured he’s on the run from the British monarchy who accused him of treason.