These days we’re awash in a flood of virtual pets (or should I say…petz) designed to capitalize on the booming casual games market. Sony has just revealed their take on the phenomenon, a PlayStation Eye utilizing game they call EyePet.

Here’s how it works: the Eye takes realtime, second-by-second footage of your living room, and displays it on screen – in a digital replica of your house where an adorable little monkey-puppy critter hybrid lives. The camera then magically provides seamless interaction between your “irl” room and your digital one. Move your hand to where your EyePet is and start tickling it, roll a ball at the camera and the thing will leap over it.

Scope the trailer after the jump to see all the simian-tastic cuteness and customization (you can give it a mohawk!) Full press release is waiting for you as well.

What makes a pet real? Introducing EyePet, the virtual pet that follows your every movement and command…

Leipzig Games Convention, 20th August 2008: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) introduced the availability of EyePet for PAL region. It won’t make a mess on the floor or claw at the curtains – EyePet is the ultimate pet for modern living. Forget the hamsters and guinea pigs and get the perfect first pet for kids and adults alike. Developed by SCEE, EyePet is the responsive virtual pet who reacts to your every move and brings entertainment and fun for the whole family; plus it’s pretty cute as well.

EyePet comes with an impressive array of abilities all made possible by PLAYSTATION®Eye, the next-generation camera for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™). A loveable, simian-like pet, EyePet lives in an on-screen picture of your sitting room as captured second by second on PLAYSTATION Eye. Working in ‘Augmented Reality’, EyePet is fully aware of people in the room and will interact with you and your environment. Place an object in front of the camera that EyePet hasn’t seen before and it’ll know exactly what to do with it, give it something new and it’ll examine it thoroughly. Tickle it by waving your fingers in front of the camera: it laughs, poke it: it jumps, roll it a ball: EyePet chases around the screen after it.

An incredibly lifelike little critter, EyePet gives you all the lovable benefits and interaction of a real-life pet without tearing up your sofa or making a mess on the rug. Kids and adults alike will love to customise, dress it and watch its facial expressions that range from the sweet to the cheeky to the hilarious. It’s all made possible by the power of PS3 which has enabled EyePet’s developers to achieve incredible graphics and animation in its facial reactions, lifelike fur and incredibly intelligent interaction with you, your environment and anything you choose to place in front of it.

EyePet will be available in late 2009, so prepare to bring a furry ball of mischief into your home and a new friend into your life.

Tags: eyepet, GC 08, playstation eye, Sony

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1 Comment » needtocontrol on August 21, 2008 5:55 am OMG I’m going to be sick. Kratos! Nariko! The bloke from Uncharted! Kill this disturbing abomination, please! I’d even say the music video crap sounds good after seeing THIS! Still, I suppose kids will like it. Each to their own. RSS feed for comments on this post. Comment Now Note: Commenting on Ripten does not currently require registration, however to be eligible for contests on the site, you must be a registered user. Name (required) Mail (will not be published) (required) Website Commenting Rules: No hate speech allowed. If you must argue, please debate intelligently. Comments containing selected keywords or outbound links will be put into moderation to help prevent spam. Ripten reserves the right to delete comments and ban anyone who doesn't follow the rules. Thanks. Notify me of followup comments Tired of the Goomba? Upload your own custom comment avatar.