Rumor: Natal Launching Nov. 2010, 14 Games, $80 Price or Lower

[Valigarmander]

Rumor: Natal Launching Nov. 2010, 14 Games, $80 Price or Lower

The first launch details for Project Natal have reportedly leaked after Microsoft conducted a behind-closed-doors tour of UK publishers and studios, with sources telling MCV the motion-control device will launch in November 2010 with 14 games and a price set at $80 or lower.

According to these undisclosed sources, Microsoft plans to ship 5 million Natal units when it launches in both stand-alone packages and packed in with Xbox 360 consoles. One anonymous source from a publisher said that Microsoft is "trying to get as close as possible to 'impulse buy,'" with the price likely to be set below £50 ($80), and possibly even as low as £30 ($50).

14 games will supposedly be ready for launch, although no details were given on what any of these games might be. Back during the Tokyo Game Show in September, Microsoft announced the pledged support from 12 major publishers, including Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Capcom, Disney Interactive, Electronic Arts, Konami, MTV Games, Namco Bandai, Sega, Square Enix, THQ, and Ubisoft. But whether any of them will have launch games ready (and if so, which ones) is still unclear.

At least one game that's been heavily speculated to launch alongside Natal is Lionhead Studios' Fable 3. Peter Molyneux has confirmed the game will include Natal functionality, and its release has been set for "late 2010" since it was first announced.

Keep in mind all of these details are still unconfirmed, although the release timeframe certainly sounds believable enough. Don't be surprised if any official details don't come out of Microsoft for a little while yet, though.

[Lurch1982]

The only way it's going to take off with "teh cor" users is if they bundle it with Fable III.

[Booyakasha]

I really hope 'Fable III' doesn't require Natal. That would suck.

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

If they just start cramming Natal into bundles with something good to go with it, I think it will have a better chance.

I hate the name Natal though. I think they were going for the weird "Wii" type name for it.

[Lurch1982]

Originally Posted by Booyakasha

I really hope 'Fable III' doesn't require Natal. That would suck.

Hopefully Molyneaux will spend six months telling me how its required and how awesome Natal is. So when Fable III does roll out it won't need it at all.

Originally Posted by I REALLY HATE POKEMON!

If they just start cramming Natal into bundles with something good to go with it, I think nit will have a better chance.

I hate the name Natal though. I think they were going for the weird "Wii" type name for it.

As of right now, I haven't seen anything to convince me to buy it. Keeping it under $100 is a good idea. Keeping it under $100 and packing it with a game I'd buy anyway is better. Doubt it will happen, and I haven't seen anything confirmed that would make me believe it won't go the way of the Playstation Eye attachment.

[Booyakasha]

Originally Posted by Lurch1982

Hopefully Molyneaux will spend six months telling me how its required and how awesome Natal is. So when Fable III does roll out it won't need it at all.

Ooh, good one.

[Valigarmander]

What Boo said.

[Valigarmander]

Pachter Predicts Project Natal to Launch at $50

With all this talk about Microsoft's Project Natal essentially being equivalent to an Xbox 360 successor, that raises an important question: Will it be priced like an Xbox 360 successor? According to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, probably not. Moreover, on the latest episode of GameTrailer's "Pach Attack," Pachter predicts it'll likely be launched at a scant $50.

"My guess is for Natal, which is really important for them, they're going to price it at or below their cost," Pachter said. "Talking to my hardware specialist colleagues at Wedbush, it's about $50 in cost. Now I may be wrong, and I know we're going to get flamed by 13-year-olds with PhD's in Engineering who know a lot more about hardware than we do, who'd say maybe it's going to be seventy bucks, but I'd be very surprised if it was more than $79. I really think it's going to be $50."

Pachter goes on to say that the important thing for Microsoft -- as it always is with hardware -- is to sell as many Natals as possible, and then make money selling things for Natal (and eventually more Xbox 360s).

But you heard the man, folks -- are there any 13-year-olds with PhDs in Engineering out there who think his prediction is off base? We certainly hope not, as it'd be really nice to purchase Natal for less than the cost of most new games.

[Booyakasha]

Wait, since when is this Natal sh*t the successor to the 360?

[the Octopus]

Well, if you're an idiot you might think that. I still have yet to see any decent applications of Natal, btw.

[Kargath]

Originally Posted by Lurch1982

As of right now, I haven't seen anything to convince me to buy it. Keeping it under $100 is a good idea. Keeping it under $100 and packing it with a game I'd buy anyway is better. Doubt it will happen, and I haven't seen anything confirmed that would make me believe it won't go the way of the Playstation Eye attachment.

The PS2 EYEToy made a stack of money. The product doesn't need to last long, so long as it makes a good return on investment.

[Valigarmander]

Project Natal "World Premiere" Coming June 13

Microsoft will host the "world premiere" of its Project Natal accessory at a public venue this June.

Details are sparse, but the event - which we're told is "all ages" and therefore may be open to the general public - will take place Sunday, June 13 at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, just before this year's E3.

A traditional press event and media briefing is scheduled the following morning, though the distinction between the two events is at this point unclear.

While nothing is confirmed yet, we're expecting to hear about Natal's launch software, price point, and final name during the event.

The "save the date" invitation we received this morning is embedded below.

[Valigarmander]

Swedish Retailers Spill Project Natal Price, And It's Expensive? - Project Natal - Kotaku

At least three Swedish retailers are listing a price for upcoming Xbox 360 motion controller Project Natal, and it's not good.

While UK sources were telling MCV that the motion controller would run $80, perhaps less, the three Swedish retail sites are all listing the device for 1,499 SEK, which works out to just under a whopping $200. Now keep in mind a $60 game runs nearly $80, but that's still a pretty penny if it's correct.

There's also a very strong possibility that this is a placeholder price. I certainly hoping that's the case, but I don't see a lot of people lining up to buy a peripheral that costs as much as the console that uses it.

200 US DOLLARS

[Booyakasha]

200 DOLLARS?

THAT'S A LOT OF DOLLARS

[Valigarmander]

Report: Project Natal To Cost Too Much Money

Would you pay $149 USD for Project Natal? According to a report from Edge, that's what current Xbox 360 owners should expect to pay when the much-hyped motion sensing camera from Microsoft launches later this year.

Edge, citing a "trusted source," the same individual who fed the outlet details on Gears of War 3's coming out party, also claims the Project Natal accessory will be available as a bundle. The Xbox 360 Arcade version of the console, plus Natal, will reportedly arrive at $299 USD. Xbox 360 Arcade units are currently going for $199 USD, with a pair of games included.

Natal at $149 may be a better deal than the amount some European retailers were attaching to the device, a price tag that Microsoft called "pure speculation." But at fifty bucks shy of the console itself and a couple games, it ain't cheap.

Whether it's too rich for your blood depends on your financial circumstances, but early reaction to the price doesn't appear to be overwhelmingly positive.

[Valigarmander]

New Natal Games Revealed

The L.A. Times detailed four games that Microsoft plans to use next week at E3 for showing off Project Natal. The games might more accurately be called "tech demos," since we don't know which ones are destined to become available to consumers. Ricochet is the dodgeball-soccer hybrid we saw premiered at last year's E3, but now it supports two players simultaneously. It also uses the facial recognition to automatically pull up the correct avatar, and the article notes the same feature could be used to prevent kids from accessing restricted games.

River Rush was outed by Parade Magazine (above) last week, but now we're hearing more details. Players steer a raft past obstacles like waterfalls and rocks by jumping and leaning. Living Statue lets players record their avatars dancing and singing karaoke, and allows shameless players to e-mail the video to their friends. Finally, Obstacle Course imitates a summer camp, having the player dodge and jump their way through the stages.

Perhaps most exciting is word that third-party developers will be revealing roughly a dozen other Natal games on Monday and Tuesday. They're all under strict orders not to reveal anything until after Microsoft's conference at 10 a.m. PST. We'll be looking forward to seeing what other developers do with the device, especially since they might be reaching more into the game arena than the "tech demo" one.

Click to view video.

Here's a video. Uhh, yeah.

[Jere]

Is it just me or does it look kind of forced?

It's kind of awesome though

[X-3]

I've watched that video multiple times, and I've yet to find any sensible words to say about it.

Project Natal is now known as Kinect. I've read it's $189.

[Jailbreaker]

Watchin' E3 on their YouTube Channel.

Kinect (AKA Natal) looks like ruleage.

If only I had a 360.

[heh]

yes microsoft im sure gamers will buy your peripheral that costs as much as a wii for its ~ 20 half assed games instead of the wii for its billions of high-quality games.