PlayStation EyeToy loses toy, becomes PlayStation Eye

Crave US: Sony has revealed its follow-up to the PlayStation 2's Playstation Eye Toy, and it looks pretty impressive for a glorified Webcam. The PlayStation Eye will let your PlayStation 3 watch and listen to you as you watch and listen to it.

The Eye can capture VGA video at 60 frames per second, or QVGA (320 X 240) video at 120 frames per second. It records sound through a four-microphone array, and can save photos, videos, and audio clips to your PS3's hard drive with the included EyeCreate software.

The upcoming PS3 title The Eye of Judgment will take full use of the PlayStation Eye by combining the power of webcams with the power of collectible card games. It will use the Eye to read real cards players can collect and render them on the PS3-generated playing field. It's a funky and gimmicky game idea, but it could turn out really cool.

Sony hasn't announced pricing yet, but the Playstation Eye will hit U.S. stores in the summer, and The Eye of Judgment will go on sale on Japan in the fall (and presumably the rest of the world shortly after). - Mike Yamamoto