Xbox Natal is Also Next Console from Microsoft?

At this year’s E3, there were many big announcements such as the PSP Go. And among those, was Microsoft’s controller-free gaming method. Dubbed Project Natal, it is a sensor device which can recognize faces and “understand” what users say.

Now 1UP speculates that the Natal will not just be an add-on to Microsoft’s existing Xbox 360, but will also be an entirely new console. Just as well, since there have been reports like the one from EA’s VP, Patrick Soderlund, that the Xbox 360 has been ‘maxed out’.

The video game website goes on to guess the name of this new console and a release period for it. They think it could be called the ‘Xbox Natal’ and would release next fall. They also say that sources have confided in them that the new console would just be a minor upgrade and not totally new, in terms of hardware. Plus this ‘new’ console could be announced as early as next year’s GDC.

Apparently the new console will run all existing games and also future games a little better than the current line of Xbox 360s. This raises a doubt as to whether developers will only make games for the new console leaving owners of the existing hardware, stuck with downgraded ports.

Eurogamer got Aaron Greenberg, director of product management at Microsoft to comment on the developments. Greenberg said, “I can confirm that Natal will run on Xbox 360 so no new console investment will be necessary.”

This was very different from the general ‘We don’t comment on rumor and speculation’ response we are always greeted with.