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[Monty Mole]

http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/107/1075174p1.html

Speaking this morning at the Jefferies Annual Global Technology Conference in New York City, Mindy Mount, Microsoft's Chief Financial Officer of its Entertainment & Devices Division, talked briefly about Project Natal, Xbox 360's controller-less motion camera due out this fall.

"We have very strong first and third-party developer support for [Natal], she said. "Needless to say, we're putting some of our best people on coming up with great game ideas for this, and we're going to have some great stuff."

During last year's Tokyo Game Show, Microsoft published a list of developers "actively working" on Natal-based titles, which includes Bethesda, Electronic Arts, and Square-Enix. And as recently as January, the list has grown to over 70 percent of total game publishers worldwide.

"As a history, Microsoft works very strong with third-party developers, so we're hoping that we're going to get some great titles from that," she said. "You'll be able to see more news about that this summer at E3. We'll show you the full lineup."

No great surprise. I'm surprised at the level of third party support if true though, considering it's an accessory.

 

[Crash Station]

Over 70% of game publishers worldwide? Really? That's nuts.

 

[Mr. Miyato]

e3 2010 will be epic!

 

[Mush]

Microsoft: It's your move, Sony.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

Microsoft: It's your move, Sony.

http://www.vg247.com/2010/03/08/arc-date-and-partners-expected-to-be-announced-tomorrow/

Sony are set to do the same thing... today! (Yeah it doesn't mention whether or not games will be seen, but I just like the fact that MS announces their announcement right after Sony announces that a similar announcement is set to be announced today!)

 

[expy]

Wonder if those are natal-based games, or games with natal support.

 

[Nirolak]

http://www.vg247.com/2010/03/08/arc-date-and-partners-expected-to-be-announced-tomorrow/

Sony are set to do the same thing... today! (Yeah it doesn't mention whether or not games will be seen, but I just like the fact that MS announces their announcement right after Sony announces that a similar announcement is set to be announced today!)

Actually, unless I'm reading that wrong, they're just unveiling their list of partners as opposed to actual games, which Microsoft did back at TGS to be entirely fair to them.

It seems both of them might be saving all their actual game reveals for E3, probably due to development time.

Seems we still have about three months of waiting to actually see games for either of them if this is true. :lol

 

[jump_button]

Avatar Fit or somthing
Avatar Sport's
Touch little boys
Your in the movie 2
anime boob touching for japan

 

[Firestorm]

Oh my gosh Natal I am so very interezzzzzzzzzzz. Ugh, E3 is going to be trash this year isn't it?

 

[TheVampire]

e3 2010 will be the best yet.

They better have an impressive line up

 

[Nirolak]

Oh my gosh Natal I am so very interezzzzzzzzzzz. Ugh, E3 is going to be trash this year isn't it?

Natal vs. Arc vs. Vitality Sensor.

Hopefully there are new handhelds, otherwise we might be in for quite the "experience".

 

[Monty Mole]

Oh my gosh Natal I am so very interezzzzzzzzzzz. Ugh, E3 is going to be trash this year isn't it?

"Isn't it?"

No. In my opinion it's going to be the most interesting E3 in years.

 

[Azerach]

Avatar Fit or somthing
Avatar Sport's
Touch little boys
Your in the movie 2
anime boob touching for japan

How do i bottom of an avatars shoe?

 

[wRATH2x]

Hopefully Zelda can save this E3.

 

[Monty Mole]

Actually, unless I'm reading that wrong, they're just unveiling their list of partners as opposed to actual games, which Microsoft did back at TGS to be entirely fair to them.

Yup...

Activision Blizzard
Bethesda
Capcom
Disney Interactive
Electronic Arts
Konami
MTV Games
Namco Bandai
Sega
Square Enix
THQ
Ubisoft

http://kotaku.com/5366407/microsoft-announce-natal-partners-everyone-plus-kojima

Although in January MS announced it had increased to 70% of all publishers.

My gut feeling is that Sony will get far better Japanese support (and success) with their motion controller and MS will get better Western support with Natal. However, to be honest the Japanese support is probably the stuff the interests me the most.

Sony will likely use Japan as a real leg up in this area - think Hot Shots Golf etc. Japan will likely lap it up.

 

[C4Lukins]

Wonder if those are natal-based games, or games with natal support.

Probably a lot of both. My guess is that the majority of Natal games will still involve a 360 controller in your hand, but will also have Natal features implemented into them.

 

[EatChildren]

Oh my gosh Natal I am so very interezzzzzzzzzzz. Ugh, E3 is going to be trash this year isn't it?

Just ignore everything except for Zelda.

 

[Apath]

I still remain skeptical until I actually see real hand-on time with the mass media. Sounds decent so far though.

 

[Son of Godzilla]

Full natal lineup @ E3? This year? Wow, I guess they really are planning on launching it and then dropping support.

 

[devilhawk]

I just like the fact that MS announces their announcement right after Sony announces that a similar announcement is set to be announced today!)

I don't even...

 

[wRATH2x]

Just ignore everything except for Zelda.

I'm sensing a high five is about to happen!

 

[CrushDance]

I don't even...

:lol

 

[akilshohen]

Lips with no Mic needed will be there...

 

[EatChildren]

I'm sensing a high five is about to happen!

 

[LowParry]

2010. It's shaping up to be one crazy year and it's already begun with the games.

 

[BruceWayneIII]

In other words: they are not going to show anything at GDC?

 

[Acosta]

zzzz...zzzzzz...zzzzzzzzz

Hope they have something better to show at E3.

 

[FStop7]

I can't wait for more creepy uncanny valley goodness with Milo!!!!! :lol

 

[TheThunder]

This E3 will be the most boring one since ... ever !!

Wake me up when they announce a sequel to Demon's Souls or The Last Guardian release date.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

Just ignore everything except for Zelda.

I'll ignore everything, especially Zelda. E3's gonna be shit. Again. Unless they make a surprise announcement of God of War IV being in development. Which they won't :'(

 

[Monty Mole]

In other words: they are not going to show anything at GDC?

I think Nintendo was in the same position back in 2006 - don't remember them showing anything at GDC back then? They also waited until E3 IIRC, although it was still in May that year.

EDIT: The relevance between the two being platform holders, new motion technologies and developers.

 

[Dabanton]

Good to hear,can't wait to see the games at E3.

 

[nocode]

Just please be good....please? It'll be interesting to see what everyone is going to bring to the table, but I just can't get all that excited at the prospect of more motion control. Zelda will be great, and there are tons of games coming out this year, but I myself don't like motion control as it is right now. Hopefully at least one of these companies can change my mind because this is the direction the industry is going whether I like it or not.

 

[seady]

Natal is the very very best example of a great marketing.

It makes something that people could easily shove away as lame experiment (or just another EyeToy), into such great hype that people now feel it would change the future.

 

[daegan]

A game can "support" Natal and still not really do anything with it. It depends on how low MS wants to set the bar for getting that logo on the box. If I remember correctly your 360 game needs achievements and Live Aware to get the Live logo on the box. The PlayStation Network logo shows up if you have trophies. That's it. No online gameplay, not even leaderboards. I see no reason why the Natal (or Arc) logo will be different.

 

[THE Caffeinated]

YOU are the games!

 

[Hanmik]

I always thought that E3 was for the core gamer.. so why waste a good opportunity with Natal and Arc..? it´s not like mr. and mrs. Jones are lining up to watch the show.. Do Microsoft and Sony really think that the gamers that attend and watch E3 shows, really care about a new Natal Fit or a new Samba de Sony..?

 

[gofreak]

http://www.vg247.com/2010/03/08/arc-date-and-partners-expected-to-be-announced-tomorrow/

Sony are set to do the same thing... today! (Yeah it doesn't mention whether or not games will be seen, but I just like the fact that MS announces their announcement right after Sony announces that a similar announcement is set to be announced today!)

I should hope Sony announces a little bit than 'this' (which really shares nothing new?). This is little disappointing as it's sounds like we won't get much new from GDC re. Natal. Then again she says 'full lineup' so maybe they'll have bits to announce that are new.

 

[[Nintex]]

That's a long wait for the Perfect Dark 2 announcement

 

[REMEMBER CITADEL]

Natal is the very very best example of a great marketing.

It makes something that people could easily shove away as lame experiment (or just another EyeToy), into such great hype that people now feel it would change the future.

Yeah, people like Kojima and Jason Rubin are so easily led.

 

[Denzar]

"Isn't it?"

No. In my opinion it's going to be the most interesting E3 in years.

Good choice of words, sir.

 

[BruceWayneIII]

I think Nintendo was in the same position back in 2006 - don't remember them showing anything at GDC back then? They also waited until E3 IIRC, although it was still in May that year.

EDIT: The relevance between the two being platform holders, new motion technologies and developers.

Yeah, but that was around the launch off the Wii itself. Microsoft has already shown demos since last summer.

 

[C4Lukins]

Natal is the very very best example of a great marketing.

It makes something that people could easily shove away as lame experiment (or just another EyeToy), into such great hype that people now feel it would change the future.

Which I think is the difference between Natal and Arc/Gem/Wand. MS will put their full efforts behind making it successful whether or not it is the superior product, while I think Sony is just going to send their product out there to see how it does and decide in the aftermath whether or not to fully support it. When you look at Avatars and Home, XBLA and PSN games, Achievement and Trophies, MS does not necessarily provide a higher quality product but they support the hell out of it and allow it to grow and succeed. When they decide something is important to their service they bring it out fully functional and wih a lot of fanfare. Sony just seems to throw a million things against the wall and see what sticks.

 

[Hanmik]

MS does not necessarily provide a higher quality product but they support the hell out of it and allow it to grow and succeed. When they decide something is important to their service they bring it out fully functional and wih a lot of fanfare.

ehhhh... how is the support for the original Xbox..? how long did that last..?

 

[C4Lukins]

ehhhh... how is the support for the original Xbox..? how long did that last..?

I think it is safe to separate the intent of the original XBOX with what MS is now doing with the 360.

 

[Hanmik]

I think it is safe to separate the intent of the original XBOX with what MS is now doing with the 360.

maybe.. but how can you say Sony does not support it´s products..? people can download PS1 games form PSN, and new ones come along quite nicely. Even the PS2 still has new games for it.. so please don´t generalize like this..

 

[REMEMBER CITADEL]

maybe.. but how can you say Sony does not support it´s products..? people can download PS1 games form PSN, and new ones come along quite nicely. Even the PS2 still has new games for it.. so please don´t generalize like this..

Do you seriously not understand what he was trying to say or are you arguing only for argument's sake?

 

[devilhawk]

I always thought that E3 was for the core gamer.. so why waste a good opportunity with Natal and Arc..? it´s not like mr. and mrs. Jones are lining up to watch the show.. Do Microsoft and Sony really think that the gamers that attend and watch E3 shows, really care about a new Natal Fit or a new Samba de Sony..?

With the amount of mainstream media now at E3, it is no longer exclusively about the core gamer. I don't think it is a stretch to say it hasn't been for a number of years. MS, Sony, and Nintendo know it is an excellent opportunity to release information on mass appeal games. The article the NYT or USA today writes about a game has far more influence than anything a videogame blog could ever do.

 

[PuppetMaster]

In other words: they are not going to show anything at GDC?

this

 

[C4Lukins]

maybe.. but how can you say Sony does not support it´s products..? people can download PS1 games form PSN, and new ones come along quite nicely. Even the PS2 still has new games for it.. so please don´t generalize like this..

I am not saying that Sony does not support their products. I am just saying that with each initiative that MS takes on with the 360, they make an event out of it, and they tell you why this new feature is important and something you will enjoy. With Sony you almost have to stumble upon most of the PS3 features on the XMB before you even know they exist.

So just to give an example of how I think things are going to play out. Natal is going to be released at a low price, potentially bundled with a big game, and potentially bundled with every 360 after its release, with several major releases and an enormous advertising campaign supporting it. Arc will probably be released as a standalone product, possibly bundled with a game, with only a few titles implementing it and even fewer titles requiring it, and maybe included in some sort of elite PS3 bundle and advertised as a footnote in the "It Only Does Everything" campaign. That is speculation of course, but that to me is the difference in how Sony and MS have been pushing console features and products this generation.