Project Natal Gets Official, Microsoft Announces Kinect for Xbox 360

From DailyTech: It was this time last year that Microsoft first revealed its motion controller for the Xbox 360, Project Natal. Today, Microsoft has officially announced the controller and has given it a new name. The new accessory is now called "Kinect for Xbox 360" and will be available this November.

As you may recall, Kinect is an add-on peripheral for the Xbox 360 that features an onboard camera, motion sensing, and multi-array microphone which allows it to capture full body movements in a 3D space. It can track 48 points of movement at 30 fps and can recognize an individuals face and voice.

You are the controller,” said Mike Delman, Corporate VP of Global Marketing for Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business. “You simply step in front of the sensor and Kinect sees you move, hears your voice and recognizes your face.”

“Some people don’t like controllers,” Delman continued. “And Kinect makes the gaming and entertainment experience more organic and free-flowing, without any of the barriers that can sometimes keep people from participating.”

According to the USA Today, there are a number of new games in the works for Kinect including:

* Kinectimals -- Allows you to get in touch with your feline side by training cats and lions.
* Kinect Sports -- This sounds like Wii Sports on steroids. Gamers can fully interact with such sports at boxing, bowling, and volleyball.
* Joyride -- A racing game that forces you to hold your hands out in front of you to grasp an imaginary steering wheel.

Pricing is not yet available for Kinect (rumors have pegged the price at being as high as $150), but it is expected to launch this November.

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