I've only played the multiplayer beta of SOCOM 4, never tried the final game (so I haven't played single player), but I looked it up and you're right. SOCOM 4 does not include voice commands. It's a bizarre omission, considering that the PS2 games had supported that feature.
They need to start pushing it again, even if its inclusion of games is optional. Although Sony did voice recognition nearly a decade ago, much of that is "ancient history" and forgotten by the mainstream public. Meanwhile, Microsoft's recent efforts in voice commands have shone a spotlight on the whole concept, so that it's back in the public eye. Sony needs to step it up quickly, or they risk gaining a reputation of falling behind the times.
Remember
Eyedentify? The mainstream public would probably consider this "innovative" even if it were a holiday 2011 release.
Only the first game in the series included a headset initially, but after a few months it was sold without the headset. Voice commands were always optional in the SOCOM games.
I don't think this matters. Just like the SOCOM games on PS2, let the voice commands be optional. Those who have microphones can use them if they want; those who don't have them can use button presses instead.
Mass Effect 3 on Xbox 360 is a good example. They could very easily put voice commands like that on a PS3 game. I don't know if EA/BioWare would consider doing it for the PS3 version of ME3. Considering this game was featured so prominently in Microsoft's E3 presentation, it's possible Microsoft might be assisting BioWare with the tech and/or struck a deal for exclusive rights for voice controls in ME3. Regardless of whether or not ME3 on PS3 "could" have voice controls, Sony should forge ahead with an implementation of the feature in one of their own high-profile games.
If Sony really wants to impress people, then they'd include voice controls
and allow this feature to work with
any PS3-compatible microphone. It wouldn't matter if you're using the PS Eye, a Bluetooth headset, a cheap $15 USB headset, or a fancy $200 wireless headset--they would all work. People would say, "You mean I don't need to buy some $150 camera just to do voice commands? This works with a Bluetooth headset
like the one that I'm already using for my mobile phone?" It might not necessarily increase sales of PS Eye cameras on PS3, but it would greatly add to the sales appeal of PS3 systems and software.
