Microsoft: Natal will run on 360 so no new console investments are needed

Posted Jun 16, 2009 at 8:14AM by Karl B. Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: Aaron Greenberg, Microsoft
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Xbox 720? - Image 1 


Thanks to Natal's debut at E3 2009, there has been a lot of speculation lately about a new Microsoft console. 1Up started the ball rolling with a rumor that the console would be launching next fall. Microsoft, on the other hand, says a new console isn't necessary for Natal.

Xbox director of product management Aaron Greenberg told Eurogamer, "I think part of the excitement about this announcement is that in many ways we are delivering a next generation experience this generation. With that said, I can confirm that Natal will run on Xbox 360 so no new console investment will be necessary."

While an all-new console seems to be out of the picture, Kotaku speculates that there's still the possibility of a repackaged and rebranded Xbox 360 that will launch alongside Natal.



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Via Eurogamer

 
 
 

Comments [refresh]

by Solid Snicker - 2009-06-16 04:03
» .

i doubt i would buy Natal anyway, sounds kinda Wii-ish.



People have been using controllers and keyboards for decades, i'm not gonna get up and dance around like a fool and get worn out just to play a game.



Especially Americans (no offence) but since they have an 'obesity problem' or something over there, they are even LESS likely to dance around.



I like to play games to relax a bit, you know?



And yeah, i can see a 'limited edition' Natal xbox 360 coming out too, maybe in a different colour or something to reel people in.

by Emblazin - 2009-06-16 04:08
» Solid Snicker

You are totally right. I don't see this working for a long time, maybe ever.



Yes it is a very cool, innovative idea, but the idea of not having a tangible object in your hand will confuse or ward off people. Navigating menus will be a pain, because either you will need to have a controller and press start, or do something on the screen. If you happen to do that by accident, it will ruin the experiance.



Every person I've talked too said they think they would look to goofy to play it. Waving your arms like a madman.



I think XBLA will be the only possible thing this would work for well.

by Silver-Tiger - 2009-06-16 04:16
» ...

"...no new console investment will be necessary."



BS. You still need the camera for it to work.

Even the cam costs a bit of money. And I'm pretty sure they will bundle some 360s with the cam to get it under the people. Sony will probably do the same with their motion sensoring device so they again have an excuse to not lower the price.

by rollypoly - 2009-06-16 04:19
» yeah

next xbox will be here in 2011 at the earliest... maybe even 2012.



i figure m$ will wait for sony to start breaking even on the ps3 hardware, and then drum up some hype about it's next generation of hardware...



hopefully if m$ can put enough pressure on sony we'll get that ps9 sony advertised during the ps2 campaign... anyone else remember that?

by Miclowgunman - 2009-06-16 04:50
» this confirms my theory more...

that Microsoft is going to try to use Natal as their next system. It will be considered an XBOX 360 2.0. They will say, we are putting too much into the Natal experience and we feel it is the next generation of gaming itself, so we have no need for a new console...expect the 720 to be pushed back to around when the ps4 comes out...

by Navani - 2009-06-16 05:58
» On a different note

This generation of gaming is going to last a very.. very long time I think. Well, 360 and PS3. Until technology much much greater than the PS3 is affordable, I highly doubt that Microsoft will release a new console.. I think they'd try to one up it. Can't do that with a weaker system. When I say this generation I don't include the Wii lol I think a new Wii will be released sooner than the others. Man, I could be an analyst like Pachter.

by StingBlah - 2009-06-16 06:48
» you've already got his traits...

stating the obvious and whatnot.

by fearlubu - 2009-06-16 06:58
» hmmm

funny thing is, as high as our obesity % is.......the Wii totally manhandles the PS3 and 360......usually combined

by symbyosis - 2009-06-16 07:05
» Xbox's powerglove

I remember when powerglove was supposed to be the greatest thing for gaming some 20 years ago...lets see how this works out...the wii mote had to have some extra add on for sensitivity, and ps3's motion capture with the sixaxis are prettty much non-existent...I don't know, I will give this a shot if it gets good reviews from CUSTOMERS and not devs/retailers.

by Xastabus - 2009-06-16 07:12
» Natal is more than motion control...

Granted you have to take anything Peter Molyneux says with a shaker of salt, but he had a pretty impressive tech demo I downloaded from XBLM.



Apparently the post Fable-II project Lionhead has been working on is an interactive character called Milo who is able to recognize voices, possibly faces and emotions, and can take a real world drawing into the virtual world.



Sure there will be lots of shovel ware based on flailing about in front of the camera like a trout on a line, but hopefully there will be more engaging software like Milo to make Natal worth its future price point.

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