Step Aside Nintendo, Microsoft Reveal Motion Sensor

Gaming has had its major releases announced for the year at the E3 convention in the United States this week. There have been a major list of new games on the way from all three big names. However, it was the hardware and not the software that was the star of the show this year, most notably in the form of Project Natal – Microsoft’s attempt at bringing motion control to the XBOX 360.

Previously the realm of Nintendo alone which had major success with its control system and games like Wii Sports, motion control has been something both Microsoft and Sony have been developing. Although Sony did announce their own motion technology, it wasn’t quite as ground breaking as what Microsoft could offer: Full body control that tracks every single thing you do. This means that unlike the Microsoft and Nintendo solutions, you don’t need to have a separate controller in your hand in order for games to pick up what you’re doing.

It might take a year or so for the technology to hit the shelves but it’s certainly an exciting concept, especially for people who haven’t used a Wii and are looking for a more hardcore take on the control system. What will really make or break Project Natal will be the software produced for it. If the games are good and make decent use of the technology, we can really see it taking off.

Likewise, if we just get a bunch of Wii like minigames and tennis simulators, we’re not sure how much of a success the project will be. Time will tell, but so far at least the precision and detail that have gone into the system design bode well for the project.

Posted on June 5, 2009 | Filed Under Tech

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