But, when will Kinect for the xBox be released? How about where to buy it from? All these answers and more to come very soon!

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Moreover, some industry experts think that it will put the incredibly popular Nintendo Wii in the shade. So far, numerous respected figures of the gaming world have stated their enthusiasm for the Natal system. Recently, Steven Spielberg, Oscar winning film director, has joined them to express his excitement over the latest gaming technology.

Spielberg believes that Natal will bring gaming to a wider audience. In other words, it will appeal to a demographic that it has never been attracted to games consoles before. Interestingly, although gaming is a massive industry, it is estimated that only 40% of households have a games console. Therefore, there are many non-gamers that are still waiting to be hooked by video games.

Nintendo Wii has done a lot to turn gaming into a family activity, but Spielberg argues that this still requires the use of a controller, which many non-gamers are resistant to. So, the theory is that the lack of controller for Project Natal (it works purely with motion-sensory technology and voice recognition) will encourage reluctant players to give the system a go.

Of course, another aspect of Natal that is likely to appeal to Spielberg is that the system offers players a chance to immerse themselves completely in the game they are playing. In this way, it is not far removed from a film, although a player will have more active involvement in the outcome.

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If you didn’t already know, Natal is a new motion-sensory system that is going to make the handheld controller a thing of the past. Instead, Microsoft’s Natal has improved upon the technology already used by the Nintendo Wii and the short-lived Sony EyeToy, to create something that was beyond comprehension just a decade ago.

Among the games that Tsunoda has been demonstrating is an interesting ball game that is reminiscent of dodge ball. However, a player must deflect the ball off any part of the body and bounce it against the bricks of a 3D wall, the aim of the game, perhaps unsurprisingly, is to destroy all of the bricks by hitting them successfully with the ball. As you can imagine, this game is physically very demanding and shows the marked difference between Nintendo Wii gameplay and the gameplay of Project Natal.

To further demonstrate the way that Natal could revolutionize the gaming industry, Tsunado showed the Tokyo Game Show and E3 in Los Angeles a transformed version of the game Burnout Paradise, in which players control an invisible accelerator with their feet and an imaginary steering wheel with their hands. What was particularly amazing about this demo is that control and response time is incredibly superior.

However, Burnout Paradise will remain a working demo according to Tsunado who claims that existing games would require too many code changes to be compatible with the Xbox 360 Natal. Instead, Microsoft has already signed contracts with a number of game developers, including Electronic Arts, Sega, Disney, MTV Games, Konami and Namco to name but a few.

Anticipation and excitement for these games is growing rapidly. One thing is for sure, we’re never going to have seen anything quite like them before.

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Now, Microsoft has taken the mantle even further and is about to launch a new generation of gesture interface that will change gaming forever. In fact, it is believed that Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Project Natal will make the Wii look like a drop in the gesture interface ocean.

This may seem like a sweeping statement and due to the popularity of Nintendo’s Wii, it is difficult to imagine a system that can top it. However, if the demonstrations in Tokyo, at the Tokyo Game Show, and Los Angeles, at E3, are anything to go by, the success of Natal is guaranteed.

The technological advances in gesture interface over the last decade have been incredible. From the very shaky, but novel, first steps of Sony, to the response and accurate whole body interface that is now made a reality by Microsoft.

It is difficult to imagine what the advent of whole body interface will mean for gaming, because it will quite literally revolutionize the way games are designed and the way they are played. For example, a working demonstration of Burnout Paradise illustrates how a racing game can be played with no controller. Instead, a player puts his, or her, hands out in front to form an invisible steering wheel and operates the speed by placing a foot on an invisible accelerator or brake.

What has gaming industry experts really excited is the sophistication, response time and realism of the games that have been demonstrated thus far. In the not so distant future, it is a very real possibility that all games will be played using this incredibly advanced whole body gesture interface.

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Hideo Kojami is just one of the numerous creators to voice his support for the Natal system. Kojami, of Metal Gear Solid fame, is no stranger to innovative gaming and states that Natal will provide a whole new experience for gamers. In turn, this will prove advantageous to creative developers who will be able to put into practice what was, until recently, thought of as impossible.

The changes that motion-sensory technology looks set to bring to the gaming world are similar to the changes brought about during the advent of games consoles. This is echoed by Kojami himself, when he said that the excitement surround Natal is like “…the first time I ever played with Family Computer. I wanted to share my surprise…”

It is difficult to comprehend that one piece of technology could be so definitive in the future of gaming, but it is believed that Project Natal could well be that one piece of technology.

Hideo Kojami has been vocal about his interest in creating games for Natal, “I’m interested in making games that hardcore users will always want to play.” and he is not alone. With a small army of publishers, such as Sega, Electronic Arts, Disney and Activation Blizzard, already onboard, it looks as though the launch of Project Natal will be a memorable time for both developers and gamers, as we perch on the cusp of a brand new era.

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While it is true, not everybody is a lover of motion-sensory gaming, the vast majority of gaming sales are obtained by Nintendo. In fact, the Wii sells almost as many consoles as Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 put together. Understandably, Microsoft is eager to get a piece of that pie and, if rumours are to be believed, Project Natal is going to get more than just a slice.

There are several reasons that Natal is thought to be the next big thing. Firstly, it provides better graphics than the Wii. Secondly, it is even more physically demanding than current Wii games, because without the use of a controller (Wiimote) a player is forced to perform all of an avatar’s actions with his, or her, body.

For example, one of the working demonstrations, which industry experts are really excited about, is a version of Burnout Paradise, in which steering and pedals are operated by miming the actions needed to perform the action in reality.

In turn, this leads to new possibilities for game developers. Obviously, there are many advantages for sports games, as players will be able to take a much more active role in play. However, highly regarded creators, such as Hideo Kojima, claim that there are wonderful opportunities for “…hard-core…” games too.

Subsequently, unlike the Wii, which offers pretty tame gaming, Natal may provide opportunities for games that appeal to numerous demographics.

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Natal uses a motion-sensing camera similar to that used by the Wii. However, Project Natal’s technology is going to make the console controller redundant, because it is the motion of a player’s entire body that will be required to play a Natal game. For example, one of the demo games requires a player to move around deflecting balls off their body and into a 3D brick wall that will be destroyed when it is struck by the ball.

Undoubtedly, the Wii has made great strides in physical gaming, but the amount of movement that will be required to play Xbox 360’s Project Natal is even greater. This is obviously good news for parents who worry that their child spends too much time on a games console. In fact, it’s good news for the whole family, because many of the Natal games will be able to be enjoyed by multiple players.

Moreover, it is believed, and endorsed by legendary director Steven Spielberg, that the lack of controller will encourage non-gamers to play Natal games, because there are no fiddly button presses or complicated combinations of controls to learn.

One thing is for sure, the advent of an even more active form of gaming can only be a good thing for our health and the health of our children.

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Unsurprisingly, this technology has caused much excitement in the games business, due to its massive ramifications for the future of the industry.

Recently, at the Tokyo Game Show Kudo Tsunoda, the creative director, of project Natal stated that the superior motion-sensing technology used by the system is achieved with a camera that views the infrared spectrum exclusively. In real terms, this means that the camera will be able to identify a player’s movements regardless of poor lighting and, more importantly, regardless of the size of the gaming space.

Tsundo went on to explain that Natal can adjust its parameters to fit into your room and avoid your furniture. For example, one of the demo games for Natal is a ricochet game, which is similar to dodge ball, in which players must destroy a 3D wall by bouncing a computer-generated ball off parts of their body and into the wall. The infrared spectrum camera can adjust the game’s wall to suit your playing space; shifting the height, length and location of the walls into an area that fits your room.

As Tsundo puts it, Natal will “…configure the play space around your living room.” It is thought that this wonderful flexibility of Natal’s system, coupled with the more physical aspect of gaming will ensure that Natal quickly supersede the Nintendo Wii.

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Microsoft’s Project Natal is taking the motion-sensing technology used by the Nintendo Wii and advancing it to a stage that was once the stuff of science fiction. The demonstrations that Microsoft have already given have proved that what used to be thought unimaginable is now possible. It’s difficult to conceive of a more pivotal stage in the development of the gaming industry.

So, what’s all the fuss about? Well, Project Natal is going to make the controller a thing of the past. Yes, gone the way of the joystick will be the handheld controller, steering wheel and numb chucks, because Natal has created a motion-sensing camera that relies on the player’s body movements alone.

Having said that, some games will also offer voice control, but the majority of Natal games will be played by dodging, hitting, sliding or running around your living room. Even more amazingly, Natal can adjust the game space to circumvent the obstacles in your room, such as sofas, chairs and walls. Therefore, you will not be forced to run straight into your living room wall to hit a ball or dodge a hit.

As you can imagine, this has inspired many game developers, with numerous companies already signed up to collaborate with Project Natal. One thing is for sure, the way we play games will soon be altered forever and for better.

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Gaming industry experts, developers and gamers alike are all filled with anticipation for a system that looks like the most interesting development since games consoles began. Yes, the Wii undoubtedly changed many gamers perception of gaming and increased public expectations for home gaming systems. However, the creation of a system that functions with the use of a controller is a step that was previously unimaginable.

Gesture interface is not new by any stretch of the imagination, but what is new about Project Natal is that it is just so good. Gaming industry commentators have raved about Natal’s excellent graphics, the amazing speed of response from a player’s motion to the onscreen avatar, the incredible technology that allows a player to have a two-way conversation with a onscreen character and, perhaps most importantly, the amount of fun that can be had from the system.

There is palpable excitement about Project Natal, not just among staff of Microsoft, but also in third party game development companies, many of whom are eager to take advantage of the technology to create the sort of games that would have been impossible a decade ago.

Another positive point to be made about Project Natal is that players who have experienced demos claim that the games require more physicality than the Wii. It cannot be denied that the Nintendo Wii and its games have done a lot to change the image of laziness connected with gaming, but it seems as though Natal is going to take that baton and really run with it.

Get ready, because gaming will never be the same again!

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