Details have emerged regarding Microsoft's closely guarded Project Natal motion gaming add-on for its Xbox 360 games console.

While all we previously really knew was that the system would hit the shelves during 2010, games site MCV has heard from industry sources that November 2010 - so in time for Christmas - is the worldwide launch timescale.

In addition, information from a "behind-closed-doors Microsoft tour of UK publishers and studios" suggests the Project Natal add-on will cost "under ?50" when sold as a standalone device, with one source even suggesting a ?30 price point.

Other snippets leaked from the meeting suggest Microsoft is planning to manufacture 5 million units for the launch and that 14 games will support the motion-controlled device as it debuts.

We will keep you posted.

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Tags: Gaming Microsoft Project Natal Xbox 360 Rumours

Project Natal to cost less than £50 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:24:43 +0000

Gaming maestro Peter Molyneux has officially confirmed that the next version of Fable, Fable 3, for the Xbox 360 will be?Project Natal?enabled.

"Fable 3 will have Natal support. Is that an announcement? #molyneux", Nicholas Lovell, founder of Gamesbrief, non-exec at nDreams, consultant to the game industry on strategy, finance and online sales tweeted after hearing Molyneux at a BAFTA lecture in London.

"Providing the audience with an insight into video games of the future, Molyneux demonstrated his latest project called Milo which utilises Microsoft's Natal technology that relies on voice, facial and motion recognition". reports BAFTA.

Molyneux also confirmed that the third instalment of Fable, Fable 3, will have in game transactions that allow you to buy extra gear for real cash to enhance your gaming character.

Project Natal, first announced at E3 in June in the US, is Microsoft's play at making the gamer the controller. It will monitor movements and then recreate those on screen.?

So far all the major games publishers are on board. Microsoft hasn't given an official launch date for the new technology, however have suggested a spring 2010 launch date.

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Tags: Gaming Xbox 360 Microsoft Fable 3 Project Natal

Molyneux: Project Natal support for Fable 3 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:18:47 +0100

Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's CEO has echoed comments by Bill Gates earlier in the year saying that Project Natal could make it in to the boardroom.

In an interview with the BBC's business editor, Robert Peston, Ballmer told how "customers" are already asking for the new motion controlled bolt-on for the Xbox 360 in the boardroom:

"Initially you will see it just for gaming, but we are already getting customers saying that they could use it in their business, that it would be great in their conference room, so I am sure we will find other applications as well".

The comments show that Microsoft isn't just looking at motion controlled gaming, but possibly a new way to control our PCs in the future beyond touching a screen.

Back in July Bill Gates said that the company was considering camera-based controls for a future version of its Windows operating system.

Talking about future tech, Gates said: "I'd say a cool example of that, that you'll see... in a little over a year, is this (depth) camera thing".

Stating it was not just for games, Gates explained: "but for media consumption as a whole, and even if they connect it up to Windows PCs for interacting in terms of meetings, and collaboration, and communication".

"Both the Xbox guys and the Windows guys latched onto that and now ever since they latched onto it the idea of how it can be used in the office is getting much more concrete, and is pretty exciting".

The news follows Microsoft confirming that publishers actively working on games for “Project Natal” include Activision Blizzard, Bethesda Softworks, CAPCOM, Disney Interactive, Electronic Arts, Konami, MTV Games, Namco Bandai, Sega, Square Enix, THQ and Ubisoft.

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Tags: Gaming Microsoft Xbox 360 Steve Ballmer Project Natal

Microsoft Project Natal not just for the boardroom originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:37:05 +0100