EyeToy boosted by support from EA and lucrative Harry Potter franchise

Electronic Arts has allied with Sony to become the first third-party publisher to make use of the EyeToy peripheral, the two companies announced today, in a collaboration that will see Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban utilise the popular peripheral, including its little-used microphone aspect.

Due out on May 28th - one week prior to the Prisoner Of Azkaban's film premiere - EA's game will allow players to wear the famous Sorting Hat, and take part in a variety of Potter-themed mini-games involving catching Chocolate Frogs, playing Exploding Snap, chasing the Snitch on the Qudditch field and exploding Dungbombs.

Speaking to gi.biz today, EA also revealed that players would be able to repel attacks from Peeves - one of the Hogwarts school's resident ghosts - using the previously untouched microphone features of the EyeToy camera to issue commands.

EA's plan with the latest Potter game is to develop the brand more than before, with a wider range of gameplay elements and control split between the game/film/book's three main characters, Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Tasks will be split between the three within levels, allowing players to switch when a certain task calls on a specific skill-set.

Sony will no doubt be relieved to announce EA's involvement with EyeToy following a lacklustre response to last year's EyeToy: Groove dance title, which failed to emulate the success of the otherwise massively popular digital camera peripheral. SCEE's Phil Harrison called EA's involvement and use of the Potter brand "a ringing endorsement of the global success of EyeToy."

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban will be released this May 28th on PS2, Xbox, Cube, PC and Game Boy Advance.