In June of this year, Microsoft announced the new peripheral for the Xbox 360, codenamed Project Natal. It’s designed to allow for controller-less motion control on the Xbox 360.
As an Xbox 360 gamer, I’m really intrigued by the possibilities of the device. Unlike the Wii or the PS3’s Sphere Controller, Natal does not require you to only use motion control because it is not based around a motion controller. This allows for opportunities in games where the motion controls are combined with traditional controllers.
Also, unlike the Wii and Sphere, it maps the body’s motion to in-game motion. The Wii essentially boils down its motion control actions to motion-equivalents of button actions. That’s not revolutionary. However, moving around in front of the TV and doing the actions that the in-game character will use exactly, is revolutionary.
The biggest potential hanging point for Natal is its price. The rumor is that Natal will be $80 or less. The best way to get the device in as many houses as possible to is to make it $100 or less. As the article I linked to suggests, a cheap price may create connotations of cheap-ness as opposed to value, but a lower price is better if they can bundle it with a good game or two.
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