Kinect is finally out. The Xbox 360 now has its own hand in the motion-gaming market where it will compete with Sony's PlayStation Move and the Nintendo Wii. As promised, Microsoft gave their new gadget a big welcoming party, while media from in and outside the video game industry have begun discussing and reviewing the device and its launch titles. It's been a long wait for this day, but join me in taking a brief look at the events leading up to the launch of Kinect.

Project Natal

The day was June 1st, 2009, and it was at the height of the industry's biggest show - the Electronic Entertainment Expo. Microsoft capped off their press briefing with the announcement that they are suiting up for the motion gaming race. There came Project Natal. The concept was simple - controller-free gaming where the player is his own controller. Xbox senior VP Don Mattrick called it the "ticket to the coolest party". It was expected to make 2010 the biggest year in Xbox history and that it would sell "millions and millions".

It was a device designed not just for games, but for overall interface with the Xbox 360. Using voice and gestures, you can play games, browse through content, and basically interact with the entire system - all without the use of a controller. What really got the industry's attention was Milo and Kate, which demonstrated the application of then Project Natal's gesture and voice recognition. Rumors of late, however, have been claiming that this project has already been canceled.

There was plenty of anticipation, there was plenty of interest. On the other hand, there was also skepticism that the technology was too much for the Xbox 360, or too much for home use at all. It was still an ambitious project. So ambitious that the first prototype reportedly cost US$ 30,000 to build. Fears and rumors circulated anew, pointing to inaccessible pricing for the motion camera. Now, price is at US$ 149.99, still a difficult price to sell, and three times the price of a standalone PlayStation Move.

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