Microsoft Reveals Project Natal's New Name, New Games

Posted 06/14/2010 at 7:05am | by Paul Lilly

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Speaking of waving things around in your hand (see previous news post), Microsoft has made official the rebadging of Project Natal to Kinect.

Details are still pouring in as E3 gets set to kick off, but a little more was revealed during a Kinect-themed 45-minute theatrical performance by Cirque du Soleil. Most of the new info involved upcoming game titles which, according to USA Today, will include:

• Kinectimals: train and play with 20 different types of virtual cats, includng a lion, cheetah, and tiger
• Joyride: a racing game where users will position their hands around an imaginary steering wheel
• Kinect Sports: six sports games to choose from, including boxing, bowling, volleyball, track and field, soccer, and table tennis
• Kinect Adventures: river rafting game
• Dance Central: an MTV Games project involving full-body dancing without the need for a controller
• Star Wars: probably will involve light saber duels

"For lots of people, that controller is a barrier," says creative director Kudo Tsunoda. "We set out to make a new control paradigm where anybody can get in and play, without having to read the instructions or learn a complicated set of controls."

Kinect's built-in camera will employ facial and voice recognition. You'll be able to control Netflix menus with hand gestures, as well as fast forward though a recorded TV program just by waving your arm about.

Pricing, release date, and other details have yet to be disclosed, though we suspect to know a lot more as the day goes on.

Image Credit: Microsoft