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THE MARKET FOR COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES
ISSUE 563 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 13 2009 £3.25
Natal launch details revealed Nov 2010 release 5m units global ship 14 games £30 price? by Michael French MCV CAN THIS week reveal first details regarding the launch of Microsoft’s Project Natal. Our sources say the innovative, controller-free 360 camera will be released worldwide in November 2010. Microsoft is planning to manufacture five million units for day one, with a mix of
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publishers and studios, hosting behind-closed-doors demos of the tech to spur more development support. Natal was unveiled earlier this year at E3 in Los Angeles. The device uses an array of cameras and microphones to track player movements. Activision, Bethesda, Capcom, Disney, EA, Konami, MTV, Namco Bandai, Sega,
Natal is perceived by many – Microsoft included – as a way to lengthen the lifespan of the 360 hardware on the market.
console and camera packs plus solus SKUs expected. The device is likely to cost under £50 when sold solo. One publishing source said Xbox is “trying to get as close as possible to ‘impulse buy’”. Another told MCV that the camera could retail for just £30. 14 games are being readied for launch. Microsoft is currently on a tour of UK
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Square Enix, THQ and Ubisoft have all committed to make games for the device. It’s expected a large chunk of launch games will be firstparty offerings from studios such as Rare with third-party games to follow. It is not known if Lionhead’s widelydiscussed Milo, which uses advanced AI to create realistic characters, will be in the mix.
FINAL FANTASY XIII HYPE BUILDS
...WHILE ALAN WAKES UP IN MAY MCV CAN ALSO reveal 360 action title Alan Wake will be released globally in May 2010. A Microsoft-published adventure developed by Finnish studio Remedy, Alan Wake will be promoted in the style of a Hollywood movie, we understand. The long-awaited game has been in development for five years.
The Natal camera tracks player movements in detail using a sophisticated 3D camera
Natal will arrive almost five years to the day after the Xbox 360 and is perceived by many, Microsoft included, as a way to lengthen the lifespan of the hardware without resorting to a new console launch. The first Xbox was sold in the UK for only three years before 360 hit.
This summer Xbox studios boss Phil Spencer told MCV the 360 still “hasn’t peaked”. “When Natal arrives it will feel like a new generation has come,” he said. “I see it like the launch of 360 in November ‘05. Consumers don’t want another $400 box right now.”
New UK publisher emerges by Michael French
SQUARE ENIX IS keeping schtum about a long-awaited Final Fantasy XIII trailer that airs today (Friday, November 13th). All the firm says is that the video reveals ‘very big news’. Brand VP Larry Sparks told MCV: “We have created a special video to share this exciting news with as many people as possible.” Visit MCVUK.com on Friday to see the trailer in full
Sony has said it will launch PS3’s motion-sensing wand peripheral – movement of which is tracked by the alreadyavailable PlayStation Eye camera – before Microsoft’s kit in spring 2010. However, so far the Japanese firm has kept details of the launch closely under wraps.
THE ALREADY PACKED software market for Nintendo platforms is about to get busier thanks to a new UK firm. Bedfordshire-based publisher Enjoy Gaming will launch a raft of new IPs for Wii and DS early next year before widening its remit to next-gen consoles, MCV can reveal. Headed by UK games development veteran Paul
Tresise, Enjoy will launch DSiexclusive camera game System Flaw in February along with Wii titles including Yoga and Vegas Party. The firm plans to release 20 titles over the next 12 months developed by a mix of in-house and external teams.
Tresise told MCV: “Between us we’ve built scores of connections in the industry, which have proved vital for the successful start of Enjoy. “For a new publisher, we are fortunate enough to be able to bring a great range of original, innovative games to market. Enjoy is an exciting company with big plans and partnerships with others allows us to create something which we know is going to develop and grow.”
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