Project Natal 2: The E3 Kinection

Hey,

A year ago, I wrote a reactionary post about Microsoft's E3 Press Conference introducing Project Natal, and how the disabilities I was burdened with from birth would make enjoying it an impossibility. I felt like that article could use a little follow up. This year, the conference was once again all about Microsoft's new 3D wonder camera, now named Microsoft Kinect. I feel a little better then I did last year about it, as the games shown look like either Wii ripoffs or the kind of drek that entertains you at Innoventions at Epcot. It was prefaced with a great trailer for both Gears 3 and Halo Reach, which I'm sure will be spinning in my 360s for years to come.

But man, does Microsoft want you to love Kinect don't they? Several of the speakers talked of controllers being outdated and over 50% of the show was dedicated to people flailing around in front of their TVs. Also a really creepy demo with a kid playing with animals, which I'm sure will go over with the under 3 set. But seriously, compare this year's conference to last years.

LAST YEAR

Game announcements

Halo Reach

Tony Hawk Ride

Final Fantasy

Shadow Complex

Joy Ride (Never came out, now a Kinect Title)

Crackdown 2

Left 4 Dead 2

Forza 3

Halo Reach

Metal Gear Rising

Game previews

Beatles Rock Band

Modern Warfare 2

Splinter Cell Conviction

Halo ODST

Alan Wake

Other Annoucements

Last.FM

Facebook

Twitter

Netflix Update

SKY for UK

Natal

THIS YEAR

Game Announcements

Codename Kingdoms

Kinect games (Kinect Sports, Kinectamals, Star Wars Kinect, etc.)

Game Previews

Halo Reach

Fable 3

Gears 3

Metal Gear Rising

Call of Duty: Black Ops

Other announcements

Xbox 360 Slim

ESPN

Even if I listed out the Kinect games, this year pales in comparison to last year unless you're excited about exercising or running around your living room. As someone who has a nerve disease that limits my physical activity, I'm worried that Xbox is putting all it's eggs in one basket. Like what happened when Pixar made those great movies. Disney, Dreamworks, Fox, everybody made 3D movies all of a sudden and most of them failed. Yet Pixar is still standing. In this humble gamers opinion, Wii is Pixar, and Xbox will be back to selling us core games next year. Cause that is what Xbox does best.

O and WTF is with no Hulu Microsoft? Serriously...

-If you need me, I'll be on the couch, playing games WITH a controller.

Pudge