At the Consumer Electronics Show, Microsoft announced a retail date as November 2010 for their Natal device. Natal is hoped to increase the number of people who will use the 360 gaming console, as it would remove the need for a controller. I’m guessing it would encourage or entice those casual gamers away from the Wii and perhaps bring more interaction for even the most hardcore gamer?
According to the BBC (complete with video clip)”Natal’s body gesturing system relies on cameras, sensors, microphones and software to understand voice commands and capture the motions of a player as they jump, kick or wave.”
This is without doubt a tremendous leap in technology, it’s just a shame that Microsoft ruined it slightly for me with this rather cloying family experience. 