the only people who think its going to be huge is microsoft and pachter everyone else is a little more realistic and grounded. any site you go to or ant magazine you read that isnt biased will say the same thing, in reality everyones very luke warm about it same with sony move only time will tell with software and execution

good point. The software and execution will be the key to it's success.

The success of Natal depends 100% upon the strength and quality of software support.

This is a "No Duh" statement, but there are a lot of people calling this the second coming of the Xbox without having played the games as an insider or even having a decent idea of what's going to be released upon debut or what's in the pipeline.

If only a handful of developers support the platform (I have to stress NOT token support but top tier development team support), then those efforts will have to be something really distinctive and special for it to gain momentum.

Why is the press latching onto Natal? It offers intriguing possibilities in gaming. But you can't write glowing reviews on nothing (what we currently have beyond closed door tech demos and last year's E3 demo), so the focus is all in "the possibilities."

Partly I want to say that hyping something new or different before it's ready is one part wanting to sell more magazines/generate more web hits (Big News in anticipation sells regardless of whether it has a real impact upon release), and another part journalists not wanting to look like they were asleep at the keyboard in the instance that Natal is a smashing success.

Nobody ever writes retractions if they say X product will be the future when in reality the general public response turns out to be a muffled snore (ie Segue). On the other hand, they do look pretty foolish if they dismiss or overlook a product and it turns out to be a huge success (ie Wii).

As for Xbox fans, including those who said "motion controls are dumb," Natal is more or less the platform's 4th quarter Hail Mary play through the end of the generation. If met with a lukewarm response, it's nothing but looking forward to regular solid soft support (nothing wrong here) and hyping possibilities for the next Xbox.

Natal does things differently than the EyeToy, in that it uses infrared, and ends up mapping body motion in 3D.  Sony added the Wands in Move to be able to get the same effect.  If EyeToy was able to map full body motion, Sony wouldn't of come up with the Wands.

Do you think that Move will also bomb?  It has potential to be more expensive than Natal, and is another new controller roll out.

As far as who thinks it will be huge, you have Microsoft suck-ups like Pachter who say Microsoft is set to rule with everything (Bruce on Games is the same), and they could even do smashing if they raised the price of Live.  They don't get Nintendo at all.  And you have people here, who I believe mostly think Natal will end up bombing, and a majority of those who will also think Move will end up dominating.

I believe Natal's success depends on its price point, software support, how well it works, and how much the market is open to gaming without a controller.  If Natal does have a killer app only doable with the Natal approach, then they would be onto something also that would help its success.   Is Natal, for example, the best way to do exercise among the consoles?

Game Room is a play into the retro area, and casual.  The games are easy to get into, and appeal to older gamers who may not be into the modern games.  There is also things like 1 vs 100 going on. 

In regards to the Sony stuff, I don't get how one doesn't see Ratchet and Clank as not more for the core gamer.  It is a shooter with cool character and witty dialog.  Yes, they are mascots, but it is hardly a children's game.  It is family safer, but still applying to more mature to.

Microsoft seems to load up on the arcade as the basis for their family friendly stuff. 

Because MS is going to hype it up like its the comming of dooms day, so even if Natal turn out to be just a glorified eye toy it will most likely still sell tons or even if ppl dont intend to buy it at all MS will bundle it with xbox so ppl wont have a say.

I'd be quite surprised if this industry response to something is an indication of anything really =)

Yeah, they did a better job with hyping up the thing practically with nothing to back it up, so media and industry guys will buy it with no further questions. But I'll wait for actual consumer response, it's a better indication of real deal (just like it was with Wii), especially for me as a potential consumer.

I was talking in regards to hard copy games that customers will see in shops on the shelves. I explained that about XBL/PSN as when the average 'casual' gamer or parent goes to buy a console or games they will look in the shops at what is available to buy. Trying to find a game for my girlfriend that doesn't involve voilence and killing on the PS3 I was suprised at the limited amount of choice available, same with the 360. That's the reason why I suggersted my 8 year old brother got a Wii even though he spent the whole summer playing little big planet on my PS3, theres a good selection of off the shelf family/childrens titles available for the Wii.

Ratchet and clank is still a cartoony platform game, yes it may appeal to hardcore audience, but it appeals to families too as it is essentially the modern age equivalent of spyro or crach bandicoot out of what games are available. Both the 360 and PS3 have their lego, lips, guitar hero and buzz games and they both have family content on XBL/PSN too, but nowhere near as many as there are "mature games".

When a parent goes looking in shops at the consoles when the motion controls come out they will see PS3 next to on the shelf titles such as Ratchet and Clank, Little Big Planet, 3D Dot Game Heroes, ModNation Racers, Plus the multiplatform games. These are all advertised and endorsed by Sony and are well known and highly rated. Theres nothing on the shelf for microsoft to offer the family gamer at the moment.

Note, I'm not talking about launch games for the motion controls because either could bring out a number of good games. I think the range of family ittles for the HD systems will also play a big factor in how well these motion controls do, assuming praise for the devices is at a similar level.

lol everyone? no , mostly 360 fanboys who Want it to be huge

correct. i think its it aint gonna be as big as everyone thinks because in the end the games are gonna suck and be annoying. not having a controller really limits the games and you all know it!