XBOX debuted its 'Project Natal' motion-detection system at the E3 video game conference last week, and it was the most talked about event of the entire conference. Microsoft claims Project Natal will revolutionize the video game industry.
Project Natal can best be described as a step up from the Nintendo Wii model where a motion sensor detects movements and simulates them in video games. All of this is done with out a controller (i.e. in a racing game, you put your hands in the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions, press your right foot towards the floor for the gas pedal and your left for the break, and the game simulates those movements in the cockpit of your car).
Microsoft was not alone however, as Sony introduced its own motion-detecting wand which is eerily similar to Nintendo's Wii controller. Both Project Natal and Sony's controller are set to hit markets in 2010.
Some could see these releases as Sony & Microsoft attempting to catch up in sales with Nintendo's wildly popular Wii console which sold 50 million consoles worldwide. Xbox is a distant second with 30 million.
Nintendo said they experimented with the same technology Sony & Microsoft are just catching on to three years ago, but opted against it because the technology of the wand yielded better results.
There have been reports that Project Natal is not without flaws, and has struggled at times to recognize the movements of players with darker complexions... Video game profiling? What is the world coming to LOL? Microsoft maintains that this is not an issue and their system recognizes all complexions and body types.
It remains to be seen what effect these new technologies from Sony and Microsoft will have on sales, but it is obvious that both are trying to break away from the controller-based experience of yesteryear to provide a more interactive experience for gamers.
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