Something went wrong. Try again later

Giant Bomb News

114 Comments

Project Natal's New Name Is Kinect

Microsoft finally officially names the Xbox 360's motion control device.

Microsoft's hands-free motion controller, which was once called Project Natal, now has an official name: Kinect.

Earlier this evening, USA Today confirmed rumors of the official branding in advance of Microsoft's Cirque Du Soleil event, which is due to air on MTV this Tuesday. As expected, the hardware publisher has since announced Kinect at the event and even demoed several of the games that will use the device.  
    
No Caption Provided
The games announced and shown thus far won't be unfamiliar to those with a Wii sitting in their entertainment center. Microsoft is set to publish a collection of sports-themed mini-games called Kinect Sports, a river-rafting title named Kinect Adventures, and a pet-training game called Kinectimals

Joy Ride, as rumored, is set to be a Kinect title and will eventually be joined by an MTV Games-developed dance game called Dance Central (which might be the rumored Harmonix-tied Kinect title). A Disney-developed and a LucasArts Star Wars game are also in the works.     
 
But most importantly, we'll be able to finally control the NXE Minority Report-style. According to USA Today, users with Kinect will be able to grab and intialize apps like Netflix with gestures. Freedom!

114 Comments

Avatar image for bradnicholson
BradNicholson

1557

Forum Posts

665

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By BradNicholson
Microsoft's hands-free motion controller, which was once called Project Natal, now has an official name: Kinect.

Earlier this evening, USA Today confirmed rumors of the official branding in advance of Microsoft's Cirque Du Soleil event, which is due to air on MTV this Tuesday. As expected, the hardware publisher has since announced Kinect at the event and even demoed several of the games that will use the device.  
    
No Caption Provided
The games announced and shown thus far won't be unfamiliar to those with a Wii sitting in their entertainment center. Microsoft is set to publish a collection of sports-themed mini-games called Kinect Sports, a river-rafting title named Kinect Adventures, and a pet-training game called Kinectimals

Joy Ride, as rumored, is set to be a Kinect title and will eventually be joined by an MTV Games-developed dance game called Dance Central (which might be the rumored Harmonix-tied Kinect title). A Disney-developed and a LucasArtsStar Wars game are also in the works.     
 
But most importantly, we'll be able to finally control the NXEMinority Report-style. According to USA Today, users with Kinect will be able to grab and intialize apps like Netflix with gestures. Freedom!
Avatar image for suxxorz
Suxxorz

42

Forum Posts

20

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Suxxorz

bam
 
The games sound rather eh, but the UI stuff sounds kinda cool.  Pricing might be an issue.

Avatar image for burningstariv
burningstariv

31

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By burningstariv

holy shit

Avatar image for dcfgs3
DCFGS3

1084

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 1

Edited By DCFGS3

Yay for natal? I liked natal better

Avatar image for bagsquad
BagSquad

172

Forum Posts

7

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By BagSquad

$190

Avatar image for deactivated-5a1e236944295
deactivated-5a1e236944295

60

Forum Posts

60

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Kinectimals...god, really?

Avatar image for molenator85
Molenator85

249

Forum Posts

8

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Molenator85

Man misspelling words to make them sound "hip"  really pisses me off.

Avatar image for bradnicholson
BradNicholson

1557

Forum Posts

665

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By BradNicholson

Just a bit of house-cleaning, guys.

Avatar image for viscous24601
viscous24601

17

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By viscous24601

meh, still better than wii

Avatar image for gunslingernz
gunslingerNZ

2010

Forum Posts

300

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By gunslingerNZ

Oh, so that was a real press image? I thought it was a dorky photoshop lol.
 
@ArkhamNights said:

" Kinectimals...god, really? "

Unfortunately yeah... They should really have just called the thing 'Kinetic' that sounds heaps better.
Avatar image for blair
blair

2265

Forum Posts

3572

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 2

Edited By blair

Bananas.  Kinect is a weak name that isn't catchy enough.  If it's $190 they're in trouble.

Avatar image for rargy
rargy

465

Forum Posts

325

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 27

Edited By rargy

Are they driving or dancing?

Avatar image for deactivated-5ffc9b0923f9f
deactivated-5ffc9b0923f9f

2527

Forum Posts

4764

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Man I hate video games.

Avatar image for tadthuggish
TadThuggish

1073

Forum Posts

334

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 41

Edited By TadThuggish

Nice to know we'll have another Eyetoy that may be fun to use for an hour or so at a drunken party, then put away to be forgotten about forever.

Avatar image for bigchief
bigchief

513

Forum Posts

784

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 7

Edited By bigchief

Kinect? Because poor literacy is kewl!

Avatar image for bcjohnnie
bcjohnnie

459

Forum Posts

643

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By bcjohnnie

Wow guys... I've been in a coma since 2006 and this idea of using motion control to play simplified versions of sports games and other shitty minigames sounds awesome!!! Where do I sign up?

Avatar image for joeltgm
JoelTGM

5784

Forum Posts

1760

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 1

Edited By JoelTGM
@Molenator85 said:
" Man misspelling words to make them sound "hip"  really pisses me off. "
I think it's pretty kool.
Avatar image for diamond
Diamond

8678

Forum Posts

533

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By Diamond
@rargy said:
" Are they driving or dancing? "
Both
Avatar image for dustpan
Dustpan

1781

Forum Posts

32518

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 0

Edited By Dustpan

Natal was a way better name.

Avatar image for illmatic19
illmatic19

1015

Forum Posts

162

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By illmatic19

Yeah, I now have no excitement for Natal any more.

Avatar image for poki3
Poki3

570

Forum Posts

1210

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 12

Edited By Poki3
Avatar image for cactuswolf
CactusWolf

533

Forum Posts

441

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By CactusWolf

Terrible.

Avatar image for dany
Dany

8019

Forum Posts

416

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By Dany

Fantastic.

Avatar image for molenator85
Molenator85

249

Forum Posts

8

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Molenator85
@DOUBLESHOCK said:
" @Molenator85 said:
" Man misspelling words to make them sound "hip"  really pisses me off. "
I think it's pretty kool. "
Yeah, I mean I don't know what else they could call it, Kinect is family friendly enough I guess.
Avatar image for fripplebubby
fripplebubby

1058

Forum Posts

5

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 1

Edited By fripplebubby

Daayum, what was wrong with Natal?

Avatar image for toowalrus
toowalrus

13408

Forum Posts

29

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By toowalrus

Well. Fuckin' shit.

Avatar image for cooldrmoney
CoolDrMoney

2042

Forum Posts

8064

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 14

User Lists: 11

Edited By CoolDrMoney
@ArkhamNights said:
" Kinectimals...god, really? "
That's just about the dumbest name for anything ever
Avatar image for ssully
SSully

5753

Forum Posts

315

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By SSully
@viscous24601 said:
" meh, still better than wii "
 
How is it any different from the wii? The games listed sound like the same crappy casual mini games that the wii is all about.
Avatar image for dany
Dany

8019

Forum Posts

416

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By Dany

I see two cameras....a sensor and a led light...

Avatar image for ghostfish
Ghostfish

254

Forum Posts

20

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By Ghostfish

I think it's some weird portmanteau of "kinetic" and "connect."

Avatar image for xeiphyer
Xeiphyer

5962

Forum Posts

1193

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 8

Edited By Xeiphyer

All I want is a K'NEX game for my Kinect.

Avatar image for themasterds
TheMasterDS

3018

Forum Posts

7716

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 31

Edited By TheMasterDS

That's worse than Natal. Still though, Kinect Adventure is its own game? Like, you have to pay 60 dollars for it? And it comes in a box? Sounds more like a Wii Sports minigame that's worth 2 dollars. Still, that's the magic of motion controls, aye? You can package a shitty minigame for 50 dollars.

Avatar image for hughes
Hughes

436

Forum Posts

262

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Hughes

Meanwhile, the inventors of K'Nex are fuming.

Avatar image for glitznglam_style
glitznglam_style

112

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By glitznglam_style

I liked Natal. But nothing will make me spend $100+ to play these shitty games. Where's the killer app? Looks like a bunch of expected shovelware. Gee, thanks, Microsoft. 
 
Sure, the interface shit looks cool, but not $100+ cool. 
 
No thanks, you can keep this, Microsoft. And Sony can keep move, too. Here's to both failing miserably.
Avatar image for siphillis
Siphillis

1357

Forum Posts

6549

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 17

Edited By Siphillis

Kinectimals?  Makes me want to go back to AFRIKA BABY!!!

Avatar image for orchid413
orchid413

2

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By orchid413

The games sound like total ass...but hands free control for netflix and such sounds awesome. But is it really worth the price?!!! 
Avatar image for bouz
Bouz

105

Forum Posts

29

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Bouz
@JustTheDoctor said:
" Natal was a way better name. "
It gets confused with pregnancy to often I bet. 
Avatar image for damien
Damien

1378

Forum Posts

668

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By Damien

I'm kinda okay with this.  It's not like the name will have a lasting effect on the actual experience.  If that experience is good and fun, then the name is inconsequential.  I also have serious doubts Microsoft would send it out to die at $190.  I just can't see them having that be the price.

Avatar image for dysnomia
Dysnomia

682

Forum Posts

63

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By Dysnomia

POOR LITERACY IS KEWL

Avatar image for jonnyboy
jonnyboy

2867

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 6

User Lists: 2

Edited By jonnyboy

Kinect? Of course that sounds less stupid than Natal.
 
When you think about how much the team was paid that is responsible for this shit, I could make a non-sense, vaguely European sounding word for half of what they charged.

Avatar image for freakin
freakin

404

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By freakin

That bodysuit demo on Jimmy Fallon awhile ago kinda killed any excitement I had for... hey what's this new Kinetic thing?

Avatar image for wiqidbritt
WiqidBritt

601

Forum Posts

10

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By WiqidBritt

Kinect-only games aren't really the ones I'm interested in... though I am curious about the star wars game

Avatar image for mannalive
mannalive

162

Forum Posts

15

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By mannalive
@Molenator85 said:
" Man misspelling words to make them sound "hip"  really pisses me off. "
You can't misspell a name.  I can't accuse you of misspelling Molenator.  It's obviously a blend of the words "kinetic" and "connect" and after the way I got used to Wii after laughing at it, I say go ahead and name anything whatever you want.
 
Kinect is so much better than what it could have been and by making up a word they can stand out and trademark it and whatever.  I'm fine with this.  I might even like it.
Avatar image for rargy
rargy

465

Forum Posts

325

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 27

Edited By rargy

Tomorrow they will announce that you can use your Kin phone as a controller!

Avatar image for fluxwavez
FluxWaveZ

19845

Forum Posts

19798

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 6

Edited By FluxWaveZ
Avatar image for molenator85
Molenator85

249

Forum Posts

8

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Molenator85
@MannAlive said:
" @Molenator85 said:
" Man misspelling words to make them sound "hip"  really pisses me off. "
You can't misspell a name.  I can't accuse you of misspelling Molenator.  It's obviously a blend of the words "kinetic" and "connect" and after the way I got used to Wii after laughing at it, I say go ahead and name anything whatever you want.  Kinect is so much better than what it could have been and by making up a word they can stand out and trademark it and whatever.  I'm fine with this.  I might even like it. "
I guess, it just seems a little faceless to me. I didn't really understand the inspiration behind Natal, but it was pretty unique. Personally I would have went with Awesome Motion Box 500+!
Avatar image for hitmanagent47
HitmanAgent47

8553

Forum Posts

25

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By HitmanAgent47

Not digging the new name, still whatever.

Avatar image for ashogo
ashogo

952

Forum Posts

2820

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 3

Edited By ashogo

I have a feeling this will bomb. Hard.
It's trying way too hard to emulate the wii.