Also, if Natal hardware costs anywhere near $100, then this is going nowhere fast. They need this to get into the $50 range for there to be any significant penetration. Otherwise, devs won't risk any high budget projects working with this as there will be a very limited userbase.

See, now you're starting to realize why buttons are all but required for most games. What you mentioned is about as likely to take off as speech-controlled computer programs ("maximize window" "move window left"... yeah, there's software which allows that, but no one cares).

That and we haven't even talked about games requiring meaningful movement in a 3D world (hint: virtually all first-person and third-person perspective games... not just shooters).

I agree, they will need to think VERY carefully on price fot this new motion camera, if it was included with all 360's in future then it would be a HUGE success, if they charge £200 for it it would fail, price will make or break it......

m$'s show was very impressive.

Well, this could be the case.  But you could also look at it like this.  A $100 controller that at least 4 people can use at once, vs paying for 4 controllers.  Probably cost as much as upgrading 4 WiiMotes to WiiMotion+.

Sure, buttons are required for things we are doing now.  But I just thought of something that I would enjoy after about 3 hours of seeing what this thing can do.  Give devs time to come up with neat stuff.  The ability to read hand and feet movement at the same time can definitely offer some interesting options.  I agree with you that genres and game types that we play now will be hard to force onto Natal.  But perhaps we should be wanting something new.  This isn't mapping hardware that ou are carrying into 3D space.  This is mapping you into 3D space.  I think that is quite neat.

Perhaps but with Wii motion is the core, with NATAL its an afterthought, so having WM+ means you'll have more support than with NATA

It's definitely neat, but as far as practical game development goes I don't see developers faring any better than with the Wii controls, actually worse. The main advantage over the Wii Remote is that it tracks all of your body, the disadvantage is that any action has to be done through movement or speech. IMO that will really limit developers.

Yep, you are correct.  Devs could either come up with some neat gameplay, or they could pidgeon hole the stuff into current games.  But if I want to play Halo, I can pick up my 360 controller and play an awesome as FPS game with good graphics and amazing online.  Then if I want to play something casual with my girl, I can start playing a Dancing with the Stars Natal game.

Also, no one seems to be mentioning it, but WTF is up with that cart racing game.  I was expecting something better than that from Big Park.

Except we've seen this type of "value proposition" fail many times (see the PS3).  This will have several things working against it, price being one of them.  Timing is another.  They are already saying this won't be ready until at least 2010, which probably means it will be here for the 2010 holiday season at the earliest.  Meanwhile WM+ releases this week and you can get Tiger Woods with WM+ bundled for the same price as Tiger Woods for the 360 or PS3.

So if this doesn't come out until late 2010, Nintendo will already have a 1.5 year head start.  Once pricing is announced, I would expect Nintendo to respond as well.  I could see a Wii with WM+ included (and Wii Sport Resort) for $150 by the holiday 2010 period.