Named one of Time Magazine’s 50 Best Innovations of 2009, Microsoft’s motion sensing controller for it’s Xbox 360, called Project Natal, has fan anticipation levels going through the roof. And while the details are still few and far between, some aspects of the soon-to-be-released controller are beginning to come into focus. Though the release is several months away, announcements are being made on several games that are expected to incorporate the peripheral’s technology into their gameplay. No doubt many more will follow suit in the months after release; however, these titles are already making plans to be among the first to come on board:
Fable 3 – The third installment of the popular RPG is rumored to give the player more NPC interactions through the Natal controller.
Gears of War – Adding additional movements like signaling a friend by waving your hand rather than pressing a button.
Milo – Players will respond to your tone and words and act accordingly.
Pro Evolution Soccer – The developer has announced an aggressive integration of Natal into the title. Possibilities seem endless.
Guitar Hero 6 – Rather than just being an icon on screen, your character will mimic your movements and actions.
Rumors are that there are other developers coming on board the Natal express. Primarily UbiSoft, of Assassin’s Creed fame, is working to incorporate the technology into its entire line of games. And reports that Namco Bandai have a working version of Beautiful Katamari featuring Natal. While they haven’t make any formal announcements, the Natal version of ‘Katamari’ rasing many eyebrows at the Tokyo Game Show. and other publishers reportedly working on Natal compatible games, including Activision, Capcom, Disney, EA, Konami, MTV, Namco Bandai, Sega, Square Enix, and THQ, have had development kits since June.
As the number of hardcore gamers continues to grow and as gaming rapidly becomes the most popular form of entertainment in the U.S. this way of playing video games will become more sophisticated and advanced. Makes you wonder what will be the next advancement in video gaming.
