E3 is officially upon us. No, I’m not there, but the beauty of the internet means that for another year, Los Angeles can come to me. Which is handy, as I’ve been to Los Angeles before and frankly don’t care much for going back.
First out of the blocks is Microsoft, who this evening laid their cards on the table with one or two major hardware announcements. Having stolen the attention at many an E3 in recent years with their keynote’s (who could forget last years nerd rage inducing Final Fantasy XIII theft from those pesky Playstation fanboys?), Microsoft will have been keen to set a firm pace for the industry to follow over the next few days.
So what did their cards read? Project Natal is Project Natal no more and the Xbox 360 has borrowed Sony’s slimming shakes.
Wot, No New Xbox? Oh Yeah, There It Is..
Let’s face it, the presence of a newer, slimmer, hopefully-less-prone-to-imploding Xbox 360 was always going to be on the cards this year. The Playstation 3 re-design did wonders for it’s sales in the latter part of 2009, and although not quite a given on the same scale as last years announcement from Sony, the omens have pointed to a refresh of the Xbox hardware for a while. Well, the omens and those slimmer motherboard leaks from a couple of months ago.
So what have we got? Well without the new console being released yet, and without being at E3 to receive a free unit just from being in the audience, I’m not currently in a position to give a full hands on report. What we can safely say is that it’s smaller. How much smaller? Microsoft were able to conceal the re-designed Xbox underneath the naked shell of an Old Skool 360 unit for the duration of their keynote. So yeah, it’s smaller alright. The curvy lines of the existing design are out at the expense of a sharper looking frame, as is the matte finish in favor of a new, finger print friendly glossy case; reversing a trend that Sony took last year with the release of the PS3 Slim. New to the party are also a touch sensitive power button and a grill on the side that suggests a more sensible approach to cooling the system. You’ll probably see this comparison banded around quite casually by many, but the new Xbox 360 re-design isn’t too dissimilar to something you might see from Alienware and their gaming PC/Laptops.
Let’s face it though, it’s not because of design why anybody should be interested in investing in or upgrading to a new model of the Xbox 360. This could represent an opportunity for Microsoft to correct some of the (many) wrongs from the initial launch hardware and almost all revisions since, which have been plagued by the dreaded Red Ring of Death. With a reputation for sounding like a jet engine whilst powered up and lacking some pretty standard features when compared to the Playstation 3, Microsoft have had work to do.
The good news is is that some of these problems do appear to have been solved. The new system was described as “whisper quiet” during the keynote and also brings built in 802.11n WiFi support to the table. Approximately 5 years too late, but rather late than never as they say. I’m sure it will take a detailed run through of the systems internals and a proper sound test to really get a feel for how much work Microsoft have put in here, but the early signs and promises are encouraging. For many gamers with older Xbox 360 units or those previously put off by the dangers of receiving a Red Ring, the promise of a better internal structure and a quieter running experience may be the hard sell in themselves.
New ports, you say? Suit you, sir. There’s 5 USB ports, HDMI, a new fangled socket for the new motion controller and an optical audio out port; At long bloody last. The console will also ship in black by default, with no word currently on alternative colors, and will ship with a 250GB HDD as standard. It doesn’t appear however that any of the previous Hard Drive accessories will be cross compatible, but a removable slot at the base of the unit suggests a PS3 style option to fit your own drives may be possible. On the plus side, this could put an end to Microsoft’s hideous pricing strategy for storage space, whilst opening up the 360 to a more versatile option.
The new Xbox 360 – which doesn’t have an official title to call it’s own – will cost $299 in the USA, entering at the same price point as the existing Elite models. It’s on it’s way to stores now and should start appearing at retail within a week. For Europe? We can’t get our hands on the slimmer model until July 16 2010, although like America we will see this at the same price point as the current Elite models at £199.
Interestingly, Microsoft currently appear to be taking a similar line to that of Sony last year. Production of the original style units looks all set to cease as of this point. Once the current/old units are gone, they’re gone folks.
Natal is Dead. Long Live Nat.. “Kinect”
Of course, hardware news was never going to stop with simply a re-design of the console itself. Officially unveiled and re-badged at it’s own event earlier in the show, but stopping by to take up a huge chunk of the main Microsoft keynote later on, Kinect is of course Microsoft’s entry into the world of motion controllers. Personally, I think the decision to go back on what little product awareness Microsoft had achieved with Natal at this stage is a mistake, especially when I’m finding the name Kinect so difficult to warm to. Intentionally typing the word Kinect to talk about what has been known for at least a year now to be Natal is a challenge unto itself. Alas, this isn’t exactly an issue in the wider scale and you may have your own thoughts on that. Regardless, you can bet your bottom dollar that Microsoft are going to be putting a huge marketing budget behind this thing in the run up to the holidays. If you don’t know what this is all about now, you will within a matter of weeks and months.
Described in the most basic, possibly even patronising way, Kinect is Microsoft’s answer to the same audience of casual gamers and Grandma’s that the Wii established several years ago. Taking the form of a camera, the idea is that Kinect disposes of the necessity for a controller at all, instead placing you and the flexibility of your limbs as the only input into the console. Microsoft chose to show off a sample of the 15 games available for launch, although those weary of dancing and exercise after 3 years of the Nintendo Wii may wish to look away.
To be fair, without playing any of the games demonstrated, it would be cyncial for me to sit here and criticise too harshly, so I’ll let you venture out into the wild, watch some footage yourselves and make up your own minds. However, with game titles as diverse as Dance Central, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, Kinect Sports and Kinectimals, this may be a decision you can come to without seeing anything. Infact, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved sounds like a hysterical piss take of Halo: Combat Evolved.. one that I had to read twice over to check I’d got the name right. Fitness Evolved? Please. And “My Shape” is round, for what it’s worth. It won’t be evolving anytime soon, either, but you can still support your body with collagen protein for overall body support as you get moving.
With representatives from Treyarch and gaming luminaries such as Peter Molyneux, Cliff Bleszinski and Hideo Kojima taking to Microsoft’s stage during the course of the keynote, it would have been nice to see the technology put to some intelligent use in an established “core” franchise. No such luck. A reported (but as of yet unofficial) $149 for what appears to amount to little other than more exercise and dancing equipment is a deal I can certainly wait on. At least until the likes of Molyneux and Kojima prove the technology – which has undeniable potential – can be put to genuine use in games the majority of the Xbox 360’s core audience will want to play.
A small feature of Nat.. Kinect (there I go again.. seriously Microsoft, start promoting this thing quick!) that did perk my interest was a new UI for the Xbox 360 dashboard. Although similar to the New Xbox Experience currently adorning our consoles, the new system appears to drop the cover flow style in favor of a more flat and clean cut design. Using Kinect to control the UI, gamers can now interact with their consoles using just their own bodies. Voice prompts can be used to issue commands to the 360, whilst users can navigate around the dashboard simply by gesturing towards the camera. You can even log in to your profile by waving at your on screen avatar. It’s all a rather cutesy vision of Minority Report, but for me stood out as one of the more interesting features of today’s Kinect presentation. Which probably says alot, actually.
And The Rest?
The heavy focus on Kinect and it’s software made up a disappointing but unsurprisingly large part of Microsoft’s E3 keynote today, and the result was a distinct lack of focus on what traditional gamers may call the “core” aspects of the Xbox 360.
All was not lost, however. Call of Duty: Black Ops certainly looked interesting, if you’re still interested in Call of Duty games, whilst we also got our first taste of Metal Gear Solid: Rising gameplay footage, showing a surprisingly gruesome (but undeniably awesome) montage of the ever unpopular Raiden slicing some generic soldiers into multiple pieces in slow motion. Soldiers and a water melon. Never forget the melon. Cliff Bleszinski was also on hand to show us some more of Gears of War 3, which looks exactly the same as the previous 2 games but bigger (not necessarily a bad thing, in context) and Peter Molyneux showed off some more Fable III tidbits. Something about reclaiming a kingdom from your evil brother or something. I think I may have been picking my nose at this point.
Of course, this is just a (relatively) brief run down of Microsoft’s event, and you can find a more detailed report of the full show from the usual channels. However, with Kinect set to divide opinion and a new console sure to re-ignite interest in the Xbox 360, the ball is in Sony and Nintendo’s court to impress. Particularly I feel for Sony, who may have to produce more than exercise and dance simulations if their own Move technology is to impress on the show floor’s tomorrow.
Email the author of this post at matc@tap-repeatedly.com.
Is Kinect not just the same as Sonys Eyetoy?….
That’s what everyone’s been saying for a year now. However, with Microsoft it’s always about the service first, technology second, so if this thing gets awesome integration with NXE/ XBLA and other non-games stuff it could be very cool. As for games, nah, it’ll take some time before anything worth playing is made.
I’m so sick of the industries attempts to cash in on crap gimmicks like this. It drives me mad.
Just Dance on Kinect anyone? No. Fuck off!
I know I criticised the launch lineup in the article, but seriously, I think making a sweeping statement like that about a “crap gimmick” that you’ve never actually played is a bit much. Particulary from someone who has spent a significant part if the last several months championing the Wii.
I was frustrated that we didn’t see a use for Kinect beyond the dance/exercise/party gams roots already trodden by the Wii, especially given the presence of so many other esteemed developers at the keynote, but I can totally understand why Microsoft have gone with this lineup. New technology needs an ace in the hole to prove it can work. Arguably, the Wii wouldn’t have become the success it is without Wii Sports providing the “tutorial” for it. In terms of dance and exercise software, Microsoft may be relying on familiarity, but software such as those and Kinect Sports will lay the ground work for the hardware. Clearly, there is also an audience for such games, even if it isn’t geeks and tech bloggers like us.
I’m intrigued by Kinect as a device, but fear that it may take a while for any genuine “core” games to utilise it in a sensible way. One positive is that unlike Nintendo, who have almost exclusivley had to rely on their first party studios to deliver, Microsoft do have the likes of Rare, Bungie and Naughty Dog at their disposal.
But it simply appears to be an improved EyeToy which I have used multiple times. Inevitably, you are highly limited without a controller to games which require no physical game movement. Games that are stationary, where your actions define what occurs on screen, or games on rails where your actions aid that movement.
It will suffer the exact same fate as the EyeToy for those same reasons.
While the Wii fit and it’s other add-ons are gimmicky, it’s control method is not. The Wii remote control and nunchuk is an incredible control method.
I really do think it’s a gimmick.
Games on rails? You mean like Dead Space: Extraction?
Yes, just like that except how do they intend to have you be able to undertake everything you can on a game such as that?
Eyetoy sold well initially but eventually stagnated when developers realised the limitations a motion camera enforces. At least a motion controller offers a much greater level of physical input that a defined control method allows.
Fight! Fight! Fight! 😉
More than anything I’m keen to know how precise Nakinectal is because even the likes of Flower on the PS3 and Mercury Meltdown Revolution on the Wii can bumble into loosey-goosey territory. Anything other than absolute precision can prove problematic to gamers accustomed to total control. For casual bumblathons, motion controls can be great but for something more intense and unforgiving they can be a bit unwieldy. I’m just thinking of stuff like F-Zero or Demon’s Souls.
I think Lewis is referring to character control through Nakinectal. With the Wii and PS3 there’s the traditional thumbstick to move around in a gamespace but with the Nakinectal there’ll have to be some form of work around to move backwards, forwards, sideways etc. without having to walk out the room and down the road. I must point out however, that your article Mat is the only thing I’ve read on Natal AND Kinect. I literally read nothing on Natal when it was doing the rounds a couple(?) of years ago and haven’t since because hardware technology doesn’t generally excite me on its own.
and
Those poor grannies, not only will their wrists be decimated, but now their hips, knees and spinal cords. Kinect: Fitness Evolved. ‘Fitness Evolved’, priceless!
It’ll be quite interesting to see how Microsoft integrate new casual demographics online without inadvertently throwing them in with the prepubescent sophomoric oiks. That’ll be an eyeopener.
Hell who cares about this stuff I want the 3DS.
Nintendo admitted they made a mistake with the Bongo controller…if you bought one, you ended up with something taking up space that plays a total of two games.
So Kinect better have publisher support, or its just going to end up in a garage sale. Im hoping they give the indie developers access to it’s API as I have a feeling that is where we could see the most innovation with it.
What does impress me about Kinect is how you can use it for the interface of the XBOX itself. It recognizes who you are by your face, and the voice recognition could be handy for “saying” messages rather than typing them in, or navigating XBL. From what I’ve read, that works extremely well.
I love the new XBOX though. Unfortunately I just bought a new XBOX Arcade to replace my four year old XBOX that RROD’d recently. Im hoping that Gamestop will have some sort of trade-in bonuses or something because I definitely want that new XBOX 360. 🙂
Mat, you probably made a wise choice staying away from downtown Los Angeles this past week. With E3 going on *and* 2 home Lakers championship series games, downtown was just freakishly ugly in terms of parking/traffic, etc.
[…] have gone announcement mad, ladies and gentlemen. Having officially unveiled and named Kinect as a live and working (well, sort of) consumer product at this years E3 […]