The one thing I liked about the Wii is that my son had to stand up to play it effectively; it was hard to be lazy and play it. Microsoft has taken the whole "motion sensitive" and movement thing to a whole new level with Project Natal. Microsoft announced the new video peripheral for the Xbox 360, and it has interesting potential.

Project Natal is a camera, mic, and sensor bar that can track sound and movement in real-time 3D space. Effectively, Project Natal allows for users to totally ditch the controller (wired or wireless) and control a game through full body movement. Yes, you will look like a dork; yes the people who demonstrated it during Mircrosoft's E3 Keynote looked like a dork; yes it looks like fun. The idea is that all physical actions will translate directly into game actions. The immersion potential is huge, as is the potential to help gamers be a bit more active. Games that were demoed at the E3 keynote included Ricochet, a breakout clone and Paint Party a full body painting toy. These games, while little more than tech demos, do look fun, and the potential is huge. Right now I am enjoying InFamous on the PS3, and I can imagine how fun it would be if it was a completely immersive experience.

Microsoft has promised that Project Natal will be compatible with all 360's; past, present, and future. Price and time were not released, but my guess is that in the future you will be able to buy an Xbox 360 bundle that includes Project Natal. Sooner or later, Xbox gamers will have a reason to get up and move.

Via cnet