Major Nelson: Natal won’t replace the Xbox 360 controller
Project Natal is getting a lot of attention lately. Especially with the rise of the two videos that supposedly showing Geometry Wars and Half Life 2 being played using Microsoft upcoming controller free peripheral. But what the truth about those videos? Can we play FPS games using Natal? It seems that Xbox Live’s director of programming has the answers to these questions.
Speaking to Kotaku radio, one of the callers asked Major Nelson if Project Natal has the potential to translate the experience of playing FPS games solely using the device. He answered:
” ……I love Xbox 360 controller, It’s one of the finest controllers that ever made for a console. Now when we look at something like FPS, I think you and I can both agree that if we were playing Call of Duty or any type of FPS, you don’t really want to run around to the back of your couch for cover. That isn’t fun. You may haven’t a couch to do it, or you may haven’t room to do it. With Natal, we want to bring new gaming experiences to the living room. So, we already got the first person Shooters in the way to play those pretty well. Is Natal going to add something to that? Possibly. But, I don’t, we get a situation where the Natal will replace the entire thing.”
When the host of Kotaku radio asked him if he has seen the two videos that supposedly showing the games being played using Natal, he answered ” No. I haven’t seen them”. Then he asked him if we will be playing Geometry Wars using Natal? He answered ” I don’t know”.
So you have it now. Project Natal is all about new gaming experiences, and it won’t replace the Xbox 360 controller. What do you think?
