Microsoft's Project Natal gets detailed and tests our patience with launch date

By on Nov 12, 2009 at 9:01 AM
General November 12, 2009

When we first heard of Microsoft’s Project Natal, our immediate thoughts were about public availability. Sadly, it looks like this hot new hardware is going to marinate for another year before it becomes available to the public in November 2010. Microsoft’s plan is to release the camera unit, which registers body movement so that you are the controller, along with 14 games ready to go. The camera is rumored to cost somewhere between $50 to $80 (and it might actually include those 14 games for that price), which isn’t bad for what Microsoft is trying to accomplish — impulse buys. Why is it going to take so long to release a product that has already been demoed at E3? Well, the 14 compatible games are still being developed and Microsoft is trying to crank out 5 million camera units for launch. And just like refreshing gadgets with new color options, additional hardware and new ways to interface with games will keep the Xbox 360 from becoming outdated any time soon. Hit the jump for a demo ad.

Read

Tags:
, , , , , ,
38 Comments

Related Articles

  • Bubba

    I want it to work with my Windows 7 HTPC.

  • Alan

    How humiliating for Microsoft to be forced to finally jump on the motion control bandwagon years after Sony and Nintendo.

    I remember back in 2001 how Microsoft and others were talking about how they were going to walk right into the console market and wipe everyone right off the map. 7 billion dollars wasted and 2 failed consoles is all they have to show for their 8 years the Xbox has been on the market.

    Bolting on some motion controls really is the only option left for Microsoft. Blowing more billions on new Xbox hardware is obviously out of the question given the massive cost cutting going on. Trying to pull off a Nintendo Wii strategy is obviously better than having to face the humiliation of canning the entire Xbox fiasco.

    Problem is, when Nintendo showed off the Wii they had games both gamers and non-gamers wanted to play. So far Microsoft hasn’t shown a single thing that anyone remotely fun with their motion controls.

    • kathy_l

      Microsoft has almost completely shut down their first party console developers. They only have three left now. They are effectively throwing in the towel trying to compete with Sony and the PS3.

      The 360 is in last place in every major console market other than the US. People who kept claiming that Microsoft would blow any amount of cash on the console market were living in a fantasy world.

      This ripoff of the old Sony Eyetoy motion controls so far has been a total disaster. The gaming press caught them faking the E3 demos. And then a couple of months ago they had a horrible showing on Japanese TV with massive lag and other control problems and some poor Japanese TV host desperately trying to keep a smile on her face despite how horrible the demo was going.

      Perhaps if Microsoft can finally get something finally working by E3 and actually show a single real game that people want to play they might keep the Xbox 360 alive for one more holiday season before the console dies and Microsoft pulls the plug on the Xbox.

      Search is the new Xbox for Ballmer. Billions in losses for virtually nothing tangible to show for it. There’s no way that to multi-billion dollar money pits are going to be kept alive by Microsoft with their profits and revenues falling like mad.

      • Cracka

        Lol. Microsoft is in 2nd place GLOBALLY. Where did you get your information from? As far as this generation of consoles goes. It is Sony that has ripped off Nintendo and Microsoft. I have yet to see Sony do 1 innovative thing except for Home and that was a big flop.

        Lets see. Nintendo announces Wii.. Sony announces the half assed 6-axis controller sans rumble (which at the time they stated was a last gen feature), they have continuously ripped off Xbox Live with the PSN. I could go on and on. Sony is done after the PS3 mark my words. Remember Ken’s gifted words at the PS3 launch – You will work harder, get a second job in order to play PS3. They fucked themselves this gen.

  • Scott

    Is it going to come with a circle-shaped pattern of red LEDs on the front so we have an easy indicator of when the hardware fails?

    The pricing of this makes the extremely overpriced wireless adapter seem even more ludicrously priced. A motion-detecting camera, with games, for $50-$80 OR a wireless adapter with a $3 chip inside, for $100? Hmmmm….

  • fireball

    Wow, that’s a Microsoft product!? i’m pleasantly surprised. It seems cooler than the Wii in theory but ads always seem better than the final product release.

  • helchacha

    Impressive

  • Doug

    I’m sure someone will figure out how to get adult oriented(porn) games in on this action.

    • Beamin

      Hopefully COOP action.

  • Tim

    And I guarantee it won’t work anywhere near as well as that. We have yet to see any non-promo videos of it.

  • jonathan

    Yeah, I’ve keep a close eye on project natal. It was a big thing on E3….we’ll have to see. I’m sure it will have a version of the Red Ring of Death. I’m happy playing COD 4 modern warfare2 right now on the 360.

  • Hate everything GRR!

    WTF is bubba getting downgraded for? That’s an excellent idea.

    • Deaconclgi

      I upgraded bubba, I think it is a good idea as well. My PC games (Far Cry 2, Unreal Tournament 3, NBA 2k9, BIA Hell’s Highway, Dirt, NFS Prostreet/Shift, Mirrors Edge, Crysis Warhead/Wars to name a few) look just like and sometimes better than Xbox 360 and PS3 games. I would love to have the option to use that type of motion control on my desktop and laptop. Maybe those who downgraded bubba don’t play PC versions of the console games or either don’t have a machine powerful enough to do so.

      • Bubba

        Honestly, gaming is of secondary concern to me.

        I would rather interact with my PC from my couch via voice or gestures rather than a wireless KB&M. See ~3:15 in for Natal in a media player setting.

  • Michael

    Microsoft is gonna sell this for around 70 bux and include 14 games…i don think so…i mean come on they sell wireless adapters for like 100 bux..bill doesn’t want to win the console war that bad lol

  • Hate everything GRR!

    Really? Is school out this week? Who let the little kids in here? Troll kids that is.

  • Hate everything GRR!

    @ Tim,

    “We have yet to see any non-promo videos of it.”

    Really? Are you sure about that?

    • Tim

      Prove me wrong. And learn to use the reply button.

      • http://www.petfoodz.info/ Yatti420

        True as far as I know.. Everything I’ve seen is promo gear..

      • Matt

        /late-night-with-jimmy-fallon-project-natal-demo

        i saw this a while back. Jimmy Fallon and crew playing

  • Hate everything GRR!

    @Alan: Wow. You’re a bigger fail than the other trolls. Assuming you’re not the same troll.

  • Michael C

    Does anyone else smell vaporware? It’s an interesting idea, Natal. I think you’ll need to either play by yourself or with very quiet friends for it to work, though. But a year seems really long for a project demonstrated months ago at E3. Maybe they will surprise, but by next November won’t Natal be old news? This launch date is a huge disappointment. Why did they even bother?

  • Zero

    Anyone who actually watched/read about/knows anything to do with this year’s E3 coverage knows that Natal was about the hottest damn topic on the floor, aside from the constant over-hyping of God of War 3 anyways. (don’t really have to mention the awe-inspiring CoD Modern Warfare 2) The PS3 equivalent will release for at least $100 or more for some goofy motion batons anyways. Besides that, Natal is optional. This isn’t a new system folks. They’ll keep making all the same sequels (and every once in a while maybe even something unique for a change) to be compatible with a normal controller for those not impressed. I love my Xbox360 and anything that will add value to my system and prolong the lifespan of the main hardware before they actually DO replace it with a new model is all good by me. Hell, if Steven Spielberg will get up on stage and speak about it at length before giving the stage over to PETER FRIGGIN MOLYNEUX of all people, it can’t be all that bad now, can it?

    • kathy_l

      If only we could back in time to 2005 and show the type of sad and pathetic posts like Zero above to Xbox fans they wouldn’t have believed you that Microsoft could have blown it that badly.

      The Xbox 360 was supposed to be the console where Microsoft finally got things right after the first Xbox marketplace flop. Four years later:

      * The RRoD fiasco
      * The disc scratching drives
      * The absurdly loud operation
      * The laughably bad 360 graphics – still relying on silly old Unreal Engine marketing shots

      Microsoft coming out with their creepy and retarded Nintendo Mii ripoff was bad enough. But now to have foaming at the mouth Xbox fans like Zero sitting around in forums actually trying to pretend like a silly Sony EyeToy clone is something they are looking forward to instead of actual real console games…

      At least when this EyeToy clone flops it won’t be billions wasted like the Xbox and Xbox 360 racked up. And it will keep the suckers like Zero forking out another 50 bucks for the laggy P2P based online service while they wait around with nothing to play in 2010 on the 360.

    • http://www.petfoodz.info/ Yatti420

      Reply to Zero..

      You are correct it was incredibly overhyped in my opinion… Regardless of the release dates etc.. You want to add something else to increase heat even more? The console is no doubt going to work at like 100% power all the time using Natal..

      “They’ll keep making all the same sequels (and every once in a while maybe even something unique for a change) to be compatible with a normal controller for those not impressed.”

      Hmmm… The gaming industry is not about to throw away incredible amounts of revenue.. Your quote also contradicts your earlier point that Natal is an addon.. Too sum it up.. after the 14 game release etc.. It will be up to the manufacturer of the game to include NATAL compatible instruction set etc..

      • http://www.petfoodz.info/ Yatti420

        In other words.. The controller is number one until whole next gen of consoles.. Even then I doubt you will see motion sensation batons everywhere..

      • http://www.petfoodz.info/ Yatti420

        Whoops misread your post you have that statement correct.. Good job..

  • http://www.petfoodz.info/ Yatti420

    Well I mean really what do you expect? The 360 is already fatally flawed.. If this is for any reason its to put some distance between failing consoles and the release of next gen peripherals.. You don’t want bad reviews coming out because of consoles dieing so frequently.. Adding the Natal attachment cant do any more good for the cooling in the 360s.. Work the console harder.. Yep.. Good idea Microsoft..

    Oh and as for the Natal demo.. Yes I can run stuff like that on a computer aswell.. Not to mention that last time Microsoft did so..

  • http://www.petfoodz.info/ Yatti420

    My future for Natal.. Microsoft could always be holding Natal for that long to design a new (console that will not overheat – sound like a fighter jet – and break) gaming system.. Then Natal will come out for 360 new console… This way a ton of lost sales wont come out of releasing a much needed fix to deal with trash 360s.. Sorry 360 fanboys.. All my original xboxs still run today..

  • Chris

    i agree with everyone who has said that this isn’t going to help the 360. The Wii is the most popular secondary system out, meaning people buy either a PS3 or a 360 and also buy a Wii so why would people buy this if the have a Wii already? And this does not fix the problems the 360 has. I mean i had mine for a year and got the RRoD, cracked mine open to check out what caused it because i had the “second generation” 360 that had 2 heat syncs and “wont overheat”… its a metal box covered by a plastic shell with one small ventilation port… The second heat sync isnt even routed to the ventilation port so it just dumps heat into an inclosed space. why dont they just put some insulation in there for good measure since theyre apparently trying to make this over heat. lets not even get into the fact that it sounds like a 747 is taking off every time i turn it on. In the end stick with sony. they at least have their stuff together. Damn i should’ve spent a little more for the PS3 haha

  • railgib

    somehow it feels like this is converging on the ultimate in realistic gameplay…… reality itself. i’m going to release the world’s most revolutionary gaming console ever. when you open the box, what you will find are instructions for leaving your house.

    • Mart

      Lol, except that the whole point of games is to escape from reality…? :D

  • Marc

    Looks like I need a bigger living room for this to work for the whole body. Those were definetly simulated images on the screen. Looks like the girl scanned herself naked for the dress thing to work.

  • alX

    does no one else find natal a little creepy?
    when i saw the demo my mouth dropped and all i could think about was the terminator movies.

    Welcome to the beginning of our end.
    (in my opinion)

  • Diabl0

    It’s surprising to see that some still don’t have any idea what Project Natal really is.
    Let’s just say this is the type of technology that will bring a whole new shift on the
    way we used our console devices before. Sounds too ambitious but way too hard to miss

    Project Natal Will change the world: http://bit.ly/project-natal-will-change-our-world

blog comments powered by Disqus