Natal Expected to Stab Gamers in the Wallet at $149

[Keepitclean]

It will only stab my wallet for $149 if I buy it. As if I'd buy more motion sensing crap. We have a Wii in our house. It never gets used.

 

[The Bandit]

How many people here will still refer to it as Natal, even though that won't be it's final name? I know I probably will.

I'm still calling it Nay-tahl (thanks, Yahtzee), or piece-of-crap, and I doubt I'll change that.
But considering the stupidity of the average modern gamer, this expensive gimmick will sell like...like expensive yet useless gimmicks sell these days. Motion control was a neat idea, but it just isn't fun to play. /old fart rant

Except, you know, to the people who do find it fun.

But, oh wait, they're just idiots.

 

[The Bandit]

How many people here will still refer to it as Natal, even though that won't be it's final name? I know I probably will.

Yeah, Microsoft would be FUCKING RETARDED to change its Name this late in the game (and with so little warning) at the same time as going against both people's expectations and the competition

I mean yeah, they COULD change it's name but then they would have to spend HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars trying to re-popularise the new name and completely undo the buzz already generated. Huge waste of money on marketing/PR.

Then again, MS has gone hugely downhill since 2000's with Gates leaving, didn't Apple this week recently lap MS in total company worth?!?

This is a joke, right? Natal is a terrible name, the worst in gaming history, second only to the Wii. They'd be crazy NOT to change it.

And "this late in the game?" It's targeted it at casual people... the type of people who have never heard the name Natal.

 

[rezaDN1992]

how big is the chance that any other compenie exept for microsoft is going to make good games for natal. By the wii onlu nintendo made good games the first 2 years and the good wii game that are not made by nintendo are classic played games like capcom vs tatsunoku and no more heroes and of course MH 3.

 

[Treblaine]

Why does this bring the phrase "Waaahhh waaahhh X's products are overpriced!!" to mind?

All we need now is for Apple to get on the gaming bandwagon. I mean, "overpriced" is clearly a thing nowadays.

That's probably not going to happen for a while, though, as Jobs is a business man and not a gamer.

Apple can get away with it's pricing because it is able to convince everyone that it should be treated separately from all other PCs (mac vs PC) in a sense creating a "virtual" monopoly, they can charge whatever they like.

People aren't going to get Natal because it's Natal - at least not like people want Apple just because of the brand.

If anyone is going to buy Natal it is for motion control in gaming, and there are two BIG competitors in that, already well established Nintendo Wii and arguably more experienced Playstation 3 with Move - they learned a lot from eye-toy and six-axis, while MS are complete rookies.

And you know the worst part, considering the kind of tech that has to go into the Natal Peripheral, so many high-tech cameras, it is very likely it may still sell for a Loss while PS-Move controllers could easily sell for $50-60 (the rumoured price) to still break even as uses relatively low cost components like accelerometers and a glowing orb. PS-eye is only $30 new, dirt cheap on the 2nd hand market.

 

[Treblaine]

How many people here will still refer to it as Natal, even though that won't be it's final name? I know I probably will.

Yeah, Microsoft would be FUCKING RETARDED to change its Name this late in the game (and with so little warning) at the same time as going against both people's expectations and the competition

I mean yeah, they COULD change it's name but then they would have to spend HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars trying to re-popularise the new name and completely undo the buzz already generated. Huge waste of money on marketing/PR.

Then again, MS has gone hugely downhill since 2000's with Gates leaving, didn't Apple this week recently lap MS in total company worth?!?

This is a joke, right? Natal is a terrible name, the worst in gaming history, second only to the Wii. They'd be crazy NOT to change it.

And "this late in the game?" It's targeted it at casual people... the type of people who have never heard the name Natal.

Lol, are YOU joking?!?

OK, looking from purely a marketing perspective, Wii can't be that bad a name considering the platform has sold over 70 MILLION UNITS in less than 4 years (sold 2x as fast as PS2)! If Nintendo can sell a console that phonetically sounds like defecating, surely Microsoft can sell a peripheral that has a name spelled the same as "the biological process of creating new life". Hardly a negative connotation and fitting considering this is a "new start" for Microsoft's console.

Natal is not purely targeted at casual gamers, Fable 3 will see Natal support, and sorry but the buzz is already getting around and is not contained to the "internet elite". hell, the very mainstream E3 event had the name Natal printed in giant block letters and they repeatedly referred to it as Natal.
Again in Jimmy Whatever Live show they repeatedly called it Natal.

It IS a mainstream known product, everyone who has an Xbox 360 or is interested in getting one has heard of Natal.

 

[swolf]

Well, this interests me but I won't buy it on release (I never do, I wait for them to fix it. To those who by on release, good for you and thanks for the Quality Assurance. It is appreciated). I've heard before this would cost within the range of $150-200 so I don't understand why it's a surprise that it will cost on the lower end of that range. Kinda makes me wonder where the OP heard that it will cost $50 from. Like I said, I'll wait and check out the pro and user reviews before purchase. and Redingold, I will prob call it Natal with the new name as a nickname.

 

[duchaked]

good grief, no way I am paying $150 for Natal =/

How many people here will still refer to it as Natal, even though that won't be it's final name? I know I probably will.

Unless they manage to find a worse name.
Does anyone call the Wii the "Revolution" any more?

That is a crazy price: what the consoles were costing this time last gen. It kind of defeats the purpose of replacing the wii. For $50 more, you can actually get a wii.

I haven't heard the Wii be called the "Revolution" since my subscription for Nintendo Power ended (back in the day when the GameCube was current gen...like 05 I think)