Microsoft kick started the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) at Los Angeles and they owned the place with what they showcased. Microsoft showed in E3 what users/ gamers can expect from XBox in time to come. What they showed was totally unbelievable, shocking and in true terms, revolutionary. Microsoft unveiled “Project Natal” at E3. What is so great about Project Natal? Project Natal has got rid of the controller!
“No controler in a gaming console?!! How do you play the game then?”
Project Natal makes you, the user, the controller.
Project Natal is a sensing device which uses camera, sensors and microphone for full body capture (including voice).
It detects your body’s movements in 3-dimensional space and portrays it on the screen. It will detect your various actions (with respect to the game) like jump, punch, kick, walking. It just mimics all your gestures, and does that quite neatly. Imagine playing a shooter or racing (or just any damn game) on it!
It also has voice recognition so you just need to just say what you want it to do and it will follow your command. Dont believe me? See this video:
Another video of game play with voice using Project Natal:
It also does face recognition using its camera and signs you in automatically after scanning your face.
Even for menu, you just need to wave your hand left or right to navigate through the menu options.
Feels like future, doesn’t it? I have only imagined this kind of stuff and technology in sci-fi movies but after seeing this I fell like we have suddenly made a leap ahead into time. Comparing it with the current consoles (including Nintendo Wii), this just doesn’t fit in with any of them. It just belongs to a totally new generation and has for sure taken gaming to the next level generation.
Other interesting announcements Microsoft made at the expo were:
- Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm integration in Xbox Live.
- Showed a video of the much awaited game in Call Of Duty franchise- Modern Warfare 2 which is coming up later this year.
- Many new games were announced, including Final fantasy XIII, Crackdown 2, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Forza Motorsport III, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, Metal gear Solid Rising (a Playstation exclusive franchise so far).
1. Twitter and Facebook and 2. Last.fm on Xbox Live video:
Xbox’s utility is not just limited to Halo and Xbox Live any more. If you own a Xbox 360, make sure you get “Project Natal” device when it launches. It will just sit at the top or base of your television and take your gaming to un-seen heights. Microsoft has promised that these devices will work with every Xbox 360 console, including those sold till now.
-Author’s note:
When I bought a Playstation 3 in March this year, I was sure it will not become obsolete in next two years atleast but after watching Project Natal with my jaw dropped, I accept my PS3 is nothing more than a box now. With just one innovation Microsoft has pawned every single console out there, including the Sony Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii. Wii has motion sensors but not full body sensing, facial and speech recognition. Also you need a controller in Wii 
And Playstation just doesn’t have any real motion sensing at all.
On the same hand I think all this fierce competiton will make the market hotter and we the customers will benefit from it. We may see some amazing tech from rival companies in coming years or may be even a price cut in Playstation 3 titles?
More videos from Microsoft’s presentation at E3 2009:
- Project Natal channel on Youtube
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