Project Natal, which is the working name for Microsoft’s latest technological advancement, has already set the gaming industry abuzz with excitement and anticipation that is palpable.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Microsoft is picking up where Nintendo left off and is creating an advanced system that looks as though it may alter the way we all play video games.
Natal, which will be re-named before its launch, has already impressed industry professionals at the Tokyo Game Show and E3 in Los Angeles this year. So far, working demonstrations of the system have included a ball bouncing game in which players must deflect red balls off any part of their body and a Natal version of Burnout Paradise, which is played without the use of a controller.
At the Tokyo Game Show, Konami’s Hideo Kojima, Sega’s Toshihiro Nagoshi and Capcom’s Keiji Inafune were all eager to sing Natal’s praises. These three men are among the most respected in the world of gaming and all stated their great enthusiasm for the possibilities of Project Natal.
It cannot be denied, a system that has whole body interface, facial recognition, voice recognition and expression interface technology opens numerous doors for game designers. Ideas that would have previously been the stuff of dreams are now made possible by the motion-sensory technology of Microsoft.
Additionally, it is believed that Project Natal XBox 360 will attract a completely new fan base to gaming, because the controller is made conspicuous by its absence. Steven Spielberg, a public supporter of Natal, explains that technophobes will be attracted to the system for its ease and lack of complex controls. Again, this is an exciting opportunity for developers to create games that would not perhaps appeal to the usual gamer. What’s more, they can pitch their software to a whole new audience. Exciting times are afoot in the world of gaming!
One thing is for sure, Natal has already altered the way that developers approach creating games and when it is eventually released (sometime between the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011) it will advance gamers expectations too.
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