If the hype is to be believed, it could change the way we game, use computers, and possibly live our lives. Or it may end up in a discount bin as another in a long line of gimmicky pieces of gamer tech. It is still too early to tell which, but now we know when we will be able to decide.
Microsoft’s much discussed Project Natal has been given an unofficial release date of late October. GameIndustry.biz is reporting that Microsoft’s Sauid Arabian marketing manager, Syed Bilal Tariq, has claimed that the Natal will be released in Saudi Arabia in October to coincide with a planned worldwide launch. This supports earlier suggestions of a late fall release.
The statements are still unofficial, but the upcoming E3 in June should give us an exact date, and possibly a new name for the device. Since its announcement at last year’s E3, Microsoft officials have been quick to point out that the name “Project Natal” is simply a project codename, and was never intended to be the production name. That may change since the name has taken hold, but we wont know for sure until next month.
The Natal uses voice and facial recognition, as well movement and depth to register and react to the user’s movements. The technology also has numerous applications that could soon make their way beyond the gaming world and into the world of computer hardware.