Iwata 'turned down Natal tech'

Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata was offered the chance to sign up the device that became Project Natal - but turned it down as he didn't believe he could launch it at a mass-market price.

That's according to a top insider (and we mean top insider) at the platform holder's Japan HQ, who told us that Israel firm 3DV Systems showed an early demo of the technology to Iwata and other Nintendo bigwigs at the end of 2007.

Despite being impressed with the prototype, Iwata was reportedly unsold on it as a peripheral for Wii - leaving the door open for Microsoft to snap up the tech and its creator a year later.

"Iwata-San only ever invests in something he can guarantee will work for a Nintendo audience," the exec told us.

"3DV showed off a camera that detected motion in 3D, and had voice recognition - but Iwata-San was unconvinced he could sell it at a Nintendo price point. He also had some worries around latency during gameplay."

The new information appears to confirm 3DV's involvement in the creation of Natal, which Microsoft has never certified.

Microsoft first showed off Natal at E3 2009. - with Peter Molyneux in particular stunning the audience with boy-sim Milo.

"Honestly - I've heard Iwata describe the prototype he saw at length, and it's definitely Natal," added CVG's source.

"What we witnessed at E3 was smaller and the facial [reading] stuff had improved, but it's the same technology. We remain unconvinced Natal will deliver on the more sophisticated elements of what Microsoft is promising at the price they're aiming for."

Microsoft will no doubt internally disagree with the claims. MS has dubbed Natal a'new console' in itself. The hardware is set to launch late this year, with an expected price point of around £50.

Iwata's alleged belief that the device would be too expensive fits with recent reports that Microsoft removed a chip from Natal to save on R&D costs, whilst some prominent development figures have also questioned whether Natal will have potential latency issues.

Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has previously admitted: "This type of motion-sensing camera technology has been around for quite a while. [We've] ultimately made the decision not to take advantage of what they can do."

Unsurprisingly, both Nintendo UK and Microsoft would not offer us a comment on the "speculation". (Trust us, it ain't).

What do you reckon, readers - was Iwata right to say "no" to Natal? Or will he look back on the one that got away?

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=232754

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who knows who the top insider is but

VERY interesting

back in 2007 it probably cost a lot more, it could have increased wii's price by much more.

Was it a good decision in retrospect?

Didn't he just say this last year?

And that's why they went with the Wiimote instead.

but the DSi offers a Natal like experience (albiet in much smaller form) with games like Wario Ware: Snapped

This is old news, darth.

Yeah, but this sort of confirms what most people paying attention already pretty much knew, that Natal is the same basic tech 3DV was showing off (a company Microsoft bought).

They were showing this off at GDC well after Wii's release though.

If Natal does not fail, it will not be a serious factor in the console wars until next gen.

my prediction remains firm that natal and arc will both bomb.

I think Iwata made the right decision for Nintendo. For MS it's a different story. MS can eat some of the cost of Natal and sell it at a loss, something Nintendo would never do.

360 appeals to people who will spend more than Nintendo's audience. Remember 360 launched at what $399? And it's games are more expensive too.

Wii already had a novel input device and while it was worth considering it wasn't needed for Iwata's plans. MS needs Natal to compete with Nintendo.

Latency may still prove to be an issue as well as picking up people with darker complexions.

LOL - Couldn't sell it at Nintendo price point.

Iwata - "Its a good tech but we can't make gazillion dolalrs off the hardware so we passed on it...Oh and yeah latency issue, miyamotto said something about it and other stuff."

Pretty much on the money.  Nintendo used their technology and the Wiimote to make themselves unique and get to where they are today.  While Microsoft likely only picked up the Natal to compete with Nintendo.

Looking at it from a purely business standpoint, Nintendo did what was most cost effective and Microsoft is trying to use Natal to slice off as much of Nintendos pie as they can.