14 DAY TRIAL // Even with E3 over, Microsoft is continuing its offensive actions related to Natal, the motion sensing project that it recently unveiled, trying to show gamers that the solution is superior to what Nintendo already has in the Nintendo Wii and to what Sony is aiming to bring on with its new wand.
Shane Kim, one of the main backers of Natal at Microsoft, has told GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft's motion tracking is a complete solution that would deliver new experiences that cannot be compared with anything offered before. According to him, the company could have produced something related to the Wiimote, but that would have been derivative, while Natal is something entirely new.
He has promised that Microsoft is focused on offering “magical launch experiences to get this ball rolling right from the get go” so that there's no issue with the game developers needing time to adjust to what Natal does. In contrast, developers are still struggling to provide games that use the Wiimote as intended.
Kim has also stated that the Redmond-based giant is not reacting to moves from its rivals, Sony and Nintendo, but acting on its own, trying to introduce videogames to as many people as possible. Complicated controllers are among the big stumbling blocks to mass acceptance for games, so Microsoft has sought to eliminate them from the gaming process, while making it intuitive and simple.
Shane Kim has pretty much confirmed that Peter Molyneux, who is now the head of Microsoft Game Studios, would be using all his creative force to develop experiences closely related to Project Natal and to the newly demonstrated Milo. Expect to see the Microsoft motion tracking solution and the first games for it arrive sometime in spring 2010. Also, expect to hear Peter Molyneux talking about them with enthusiasm until the release date.