PlayStation’s Wonderbook: Book of Spells

Book of Spells is to be the very first title available for PlayStation’s latest innovation, Wonderbook. Book of Spells comes from the mind of one of the most popular authors of our time, J.K. Rowling. As you can imagine, this first title for the peripheral is an expansion of the Harry Potter universe and a way in which to broaden the reach of the tale’s magic. The Book of Spells has players working through wizard training at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, learning magic spells which are then cast using the PlayStation Move controller.

What is Wonderbook? This new medium is a peripheral device for Sony’s PlayStation 3. It is a device that will bring interactive storybooks to life. Wonderbook works in tandem with the PlayStation Eye and Move controller, using augmented reality graphics and a book-shaped peripheral to immerse readers further into the narrative. Readers can then interact with the story as the book progresses, able to take part in games and activities, as well as influencing the outcome of the story.

As a gamer, this may not be for you. As a reader, you may prefer the feel of a real book. As a Harry Potter fan, this will blow your mind! Personally, I am all of the above. Whist I think PlayStation’s latest idea may not be for all audiences, you have to admire the idea of Wonderbook and what it could do for the younger and older generations. For some, Wonderbook could be the first foray into “reading.” For others, it could simply be a chance to enjoy a story with the family as a whole. For better or for worse, Wonderbook and its Book of Spells is the first step towards something magical.