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E3 2010: Kinect replaces Natal as Microsoft gets into motion

Ezra Isaac — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:00:08 +0000

The Xbox 360 motion controller enjoys a new name, and some intriguing games

By now you may have read the tweets and seen the news. Microsoft renamed Project Natal at an incredible launch event in LA last night, eventually revealing the name Kinect, midway through a performance by Cirque du Soleil that may well go down in history as one of the most bizarre video game presentations of all time.

On arriving at the University of California’s Galen Centre, hundreds of journalists and developers were required to don white capes with huge shoulder pads before entering an auditorium designed to resemble a sort of tribal forest village – part Avatar, part Ferngully. Here, Cirque dancers with flowers in their hair performed dances and mimes, as attendees milled aorund them and a family (actors, I hope) sat watching on a sofa suspended about 70 feet above us from thin wires. Eventually a revolving stage opened up at one end, where another family of actors tried out a series of short demos of forthcoming Kinect games. Oh, and at key moments during the presentation, the shoulder pads of every audience member lit up in different colours.

Although high on hubris, the event was short on revelation, with no release date, or confirmation of the suspected slimline Xbox 360 launch. However, Microsoft made it clear that this was always designed as an entertainment spectacle rather than a press conference (which is happening later today – check out our live blog).

The brief demos shown were of several known titles including a multi-event sports sim, an “adventure” title complete with white-water rafting, a dancing tuition sim, a racer and a pet title. USA Today revealed the names of the games as Kinect Sports, Kinect Adventures, Dance Central, Joyride and Kinectimals. A short video of Tinkerbell flying past the Disney castle suggested that the animation giant will be involved in some kind of Kinect project, while a snippet from a Star Wars title, in which you compete in lightsabre fights with Darth Vader, got the largest cheer. It looked a lot like Force Unleashed, especially as it would appear to feature a selection of Force powers (which you operate by performing actions like scrunching up into a ball then flinging your arms out).

So, lots to think about before the press conference. But for now, what do you think of the name?

Keith Stuart

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E3 2010: Microsoft Natal Officially Announced as ‘Kinect’

Ezra Isaac — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:00:13 +0000

Microsoft finally announced the official name of ‘Project Natal’ yesterday at E3 and the name is..*drum roll*…Kinect!

No, not Lego Kinetic, but the new Xbox 360 device that detects 48 movement points from the gamer by using a motion sensor. Microsoft Kinect will be strongly competing with the Sony PlayStation Move and of course the Nintendo Wii. It will also be targeting more to family audience as a necessity for home theaters and family gaming.

“You are the controller. You simply step in front of the sensor and Kinect sees you move, hears your voice and recognizes your face.” said Vice President of Global Marketing Mike Delman, and added “Some people don’t like controllers and Kinect makes the gaming and entertainment experience more organic and free-flowing, without any of the barriers that can sometimes keep people from participating.”

Check out the demo video below from Microsoft:

I have to say watching the guy in the video using Kinect as a remote for the TV does remind me of that movie ‘Minority Report’.

E3 2010 - Project Natal Officially Named "Kinect"

Ezra Isaac — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:00:13 +0000

Project Natal World Premiere On MTV June 15th, E3 Media Briefing to Air on SpikeTV

Ezra Isaac — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:00:13 +0000

Natal is Officially Named Kinect, First Images Here

Ezra Isaac — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:00:07 +0000

Microsoft has officially confirmed earlier rumors that its motion-sensing Project Natal will be officially released under its new name - Kinect.

Confirmation came to us by way of the official Experience Natal event in Los Angeles. The image above was provided by Microsoft to attendees of the event.

Rumor: Natal Named Kinect, Xbox 360 Redesign Leaked

Ezra Isaac — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:00:07 +0000

An advertisement for an unannounced redesigned Xbox 360 has appeared online, according to reports. The ad also acknowledges that the final name of Project Natal will be Kinect.

Several websites and forums are reporting that the advertisement seen above appeared earlier today on the Italian website Console Tribe. We’re unable to verify the legitimacy of the advertisement at press time (as it appears to have been removed from the site), but given the frequency of report we’re seeing, this seems legitimate.

E310: Project Natal (KINECT) Experience Impressions

Ezra Isaac — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:00:07 +0000

Yo, it’s Range here. Just got back to my crib in downtown LA, just a few miles from USC campus where the Project Natal Experience was held at the Galen Center and, well, what an experience it was.

The show started off really slow at first, with Xbox 360 staff handing us silky white ropes with shoulder pads in them. My first initial reaction was “what the f*ck?”. As we all entered the auditorium, the first thing you had to notice was the jungle-like theme that Microsoft had set up and the Cirque du Soleil performers all dressed up like an Amazonian tribe. The auditorium was also set up with three massive screens that had the Xbox 360 avatars hanging in their own little jungle. These screens were eventually used to show off the gameplay.

They kept us waiting awhile before the show started but once it did, it was quite impressive. The performers kept us entertained by dancing, interacting with the crowd and, of course, performing really odd and agile acts. There was even a floating couch up above with what seemed to be a family of three just chillin’ up there.

Eventually the pre-show started to wrap up and we actually got to see some of what Project Natal is all about. First, a huge robotic elephant appeared through the crowd on the main floor (I was sitting in the stands) and had a boy atop of it. Then the jungle performers grabbed the boy and took him up in front of a large white platform on top of some boulders. Kind of reminded me of something out of an Indiana Jones movie.

Once up there, he pulled out a Xbox 360 controller and started playing a few games regularly with the controller, but once he reached the top of the hill, the last boulder turned into the Xbox 360 green “X” logo and the large white screen then showed an avatar of the boy. The boy started to make movements in which his avatar imitated simultaneously. Then the biggest news of the show was revealed, as the screen faded away from his avatar, the word Kinect prompted up, the official name of Project Natal.

The large white screen then turned sideways and a curtain drops, revealing a family of four who are about to demonstrate how to play Kinect. An assortment of games were then shown including a racing game which was Joyride, another that had you going down a river in a raft collecting coins, and eventually a few track and field games like hurdling and javelin throwing. There was also a bowling game, a beach volleyball game and a yoga/pilates type game, kind of like Wii Fit. Seems like all these games may be bundled into one game, sort of like a ripoff of Nintendo’s Wii Sports titles.

The baddest game though had to be the lightsaber game! The demonstrator was able to act like he had a lightsaber in his hands, but with no controller, and act as though he was fighting with it. And at the end of the demo Darth Vader showed up! It was dope. Looks as if LucasArts may have something in the works with Kinect.

There was also a brief moment where Disney’s own Tinkerbell made and appearance, giving the impression that Disney has also got a game in the works for Kinect.

That pretty much sums up the whole event, minus a few Cirque du Soleil acts that just shocked me. The experience was weird, odd, a little crazy, but a fun time. Make sure to keep checking back with us this week as we’ll have the latest and breaking news from E3 2010 in LA!

E310: The Project Natal Experience, It’s A White-Robe Affair

Ezra Isaac — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:00:07 +0000

Just a quick update here to let you know you can already start to see a few pictures floating around Twitter from the Project Natal Event going on right now in downtown LA (though no one is technically supposed to be doing it). The image above is not ours and we have gone ahead and Natal’d the faces out to protect the innocent.

That said, our own Rangebar “Gorgeous Gamer” Merani is at the event right now, toughing it out in a silky white robe with built in shoulder pads. Sexy. He will be filling all you readers in on the jungle-like experience as soon as he disrobes.

Microsoft Announcing New Xbox 360 Slim at E310, Renaming Natal as Kinect

Ezra Isaac — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:00:07 +0000

There are rumors of a slimmer Xbox every time Microsoft shows up at a conference, and we always get mockups or fake videos to “back up” said rumors, but none have looked as convincing as the most recent one from an Italian gaming site. Earlier today, an ad went online on Console Tribe that showed off a new, svelte-looking Xbox 360. What’s more, the recently-removed ad detailed new features of the Xbox, such as a 250GB HDD, built-in WiFi, and compatibility with “Kinect”.

But wait, what the hell is Kinect?

Well as we all know, Project Natal still hasn’t received a final name. And since Microsoft hasn’t mentioned any other peripherals they’re working on that would have to be compatible with the Xbox 360, it’s safe to assume that Kinect is the final name for Project Natal. Below you’ll see the trailer, and you can judge for yourself. By the way, the full translation for the ad is “Presenting the new Xbox 360. A 250GB HDD, built-in WiFi, Compatible with Kinect- Live today. Ready for the technology of tomorrow.” Interesting, but it is real? Voice your opinions in the comments.

UPDATE: Thanks to USA Today, we have confirmation that Kinect is indeed the finalized version of Project Natal. Since this ad went up before USA Today’s post did, I think we can also assume that this new Xbox is the real deal as well. We’ll have more information for you come E3, so make sure you pay attention to our liveblog of Microsoft’s conference tomorrow. [Thanks, powerglove!]

E3 10: Dale North talks Natal, Move and 3DS

Ezra Isaac — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:00:06 +0000

Hey! E3 2010 starts this week! A ton of stuff has already been revealed and there’s still plenty more to be seen. The dreamy Dale North knows a thing or two about this little industry of ours and chatted with our Video Editor-in-Chief, R3y, about his thoughts on what the big three companies are putting their money behind.

Who do you think can win at E3 this year? Can Nintendo continue their handheld dominance with the 3DS? Will the Move be worth it? Will there be a Project Natal game that won’t make you look stupid idiot while playing it?