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November 11, 2009 at 12:26 PM

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Leaked details of Microsoft's Project Natal: $50 to $80

Posted by Brier Dudley

A British game magazine has details of Microsoft's highly anticipated Project Natal accessory for the Xbox, leaked apparently by British game developers and studios who were briefed by the company.

They passed on that Microsoft plans to release the motion-sensing input device and Xbox controller in November 2010, with an initial shipment of 5 million units. There will be 14 games available at launch, and Microsoft is pricing it as an impulse buy in the range of $50 to $80.

The report said the price will be under 50 pounds, or $82, and as low as 30 pounds, or $50.

Either way it's amazingly cheap for a device that recognizes and tracks voices, skeletons and gestures with depth-sensing imagery.

An excerpt:

This and other details have emerged following a behind-closed-doors Microsoft tour of U.K. publishers and studios -- the format-holder has been demoing the tech and detailing its 2010 plans in order to spur more development support.

Microsoft is planning to manufacture 5m units for day one release, with a mix of console and camera plus solo SKUs expected.

This is probably a preview of what Steve Ballmer and Robbie Bach will disclose at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

I'll bet the 14 Natal games will trickle out starting in January, on through the E3 game conference next summer. Likely blockbusters on the card include Bungie's "Halo Reach," sports games from EA and perhaps "Guitar Hero 6."

A Microsoft spokesman gave the usual statement: "We cannot comment on rumors and speculation."

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"I am waiting for it to come to my desktop/laptop computer..." And I'm waiting for it to come to my phone.  Posted on November 11, 2009 at 4:52 PM by hapholiday. Jump to comment
If they expect to get enough penetration on Natal to make it successful in the marketplace (and subsequently get 3rd parties to make games for it)...  Posted on November 11, 2009 at 3:17 PM by UW 1999. Jump to comment
In whose world is $50-$80 an impulse buy????  Posted on November 11, 2009 at 3:36 PM by fman. Jump to comment

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