Ballmer was talking about Natal, says MS

By Ellie Gibson Published 22 June, 2009

"There will be no new console" after all.

Microsoft exec Aaron Greenberg has clarified comments by Steve Ballmer regarding the release of a new Xbox 360 in 2010.

"There will be no new console," Greenberg told Kotaku.

"We're not going to be launching a new console any time soon. I really believe he was speaking about Project Natal... We're barely halfway through this generation. We're happy with the Xbox 360, so there are no changes from that standpoint."

That said, Greenberg did confirm Microsoft has "looked at" integrating the Natal tech with new hardware. "But we haven't announced any details for something like that," he added. "We are saying that the Natal will run on the Xbox 360, so there's no new hardware to purchase."

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About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (18) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Doctor_What #1 3 years ago

    T minus three hours until another exec says the opposite...

    Was all this just a way of getting column inches?

  • VampiricEye #2 3 years ago

    That was expected, but nice to have it confirmed. It's always fun to get your hands on a new toy (aka. a new console), but Natal could definately suffice for now. As it stands, I'm still more than happy with what I'm getting out of my Xbox360, entertainment-wise.

    Still looking forward to the next generation though. Always am. What will be next?:)

  • youhavenomail #3 3 years ago

    Was a redesigned 360 not a given even before Balmer made his comments? It's not on for these companies to go around misleading customers on purpose.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #4 3 years ago

    Why are people talking about a 360 with integrated Natal?

    How do you integrate a camera into a console when the camera is supposed to be positioned under your TV??

    Can't believe everyone keeps missing this small but fundimental point!

    I'm happy for a new look version of the 360 but that is hardly a 'new console'.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #5 3 years ago

    What will be next?

    Well, just look at the current highest-end PCs. You can get slightly more detailed models, slightly fancier shaders, slightly better framerates and slightly better resolutions.

    I see no problem at all in MS or Sony justifying a £280-£425 expenditure from customers for advances like that!

  • woodnotes #6 3 years ago

    "Why are people talking about a 360 with integrated Natal?"

    Integrated as in, packed in with the console. Obviously!

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #7 3 years ago

    "Integrated as in, packed in with the console. Obviously!"

    Well that's not what a lot of the discussion have been about though. I think the term for that is generally 'bundled' as opposed to 'integrated'.

    ....just realised you might have been joking? I dunno...

  • colostomyexplosion #8 3 years ago

    It could have the extra processing guts of natal integrated into the box, with the sensor itself smaller and plugging into an extra port on the console. That would be about as integrated as it could get realistically.

  • miiiguel #9 3 years ago

    I don't understand the fuss about the "new hardware" thing, what it matters is the retrocompatibility, 5-6 games makes the price of a console, I have 90. That is what matters.
    Edited by 1 at 22/06/09 @ 10:56

  • Fleisch #10 3 years ago

    "We are saying that the Natal will run on the Xbox 360, so there's no new hardware to purchase."


    Well that's a lie. You'll have to buy a Natal camera system, which by my reckoning is most definately a piece of hardware....or is that just me?

  • stevetuck #11 3 years ago

    Im accatully pretty bored of this Natal stuff already and its not even out yet

  • Slipstream #12 3 years ago

    Communication is lacking at MS HQ!

  • StooMonster #13 3 years ago

    As I said last on this board last week, Ballmer is a sales guy. Even though he's been CEO of Microsoft for nearly a decade, I still wouldn't ask him anything "technical". So this is no surprise.

    However, I do still think we might see a new 'form factor' os Xbox 360 to coincide with launch of Natal.

  • bad09 #14 3 years ago

    "Im accatully pretty bored of this Natal stuff already and its not even out yet"

    Agreed.

  • VampiricEye #15 3 years ago

    Mentalist: Here's hoping for a soon-to-happen breakthrough in Virtual Reality technology, well-fitted for home-use.:)

  • KrissAkabusi #16 3 years ago

    Bugger virtual reality, bugger Natal. I want the 3D technology they use for Monsters v Aliens etc brought onto the home consoles. Actually meshing that display with natal controls might be bloody interesting.

  • VampiricEye #17 3 years ago

    Kriss: That could definately be interesting as well and that's probably a lot more likely to happen in the near future.

    It was ace for Monsters vs. Aliens, which, btw, is a very funny movie.:)

  • Bravestinsane #18 3 years ago

    Not sure on these positive and negative votes, quite bias towards Microsoft... anything against then and it's a thumbs down

    As for this im finding these articles, pretty pointless now, it's obvious there isn't going to be a new console, if anything like people have said it will have an integrated Netal camera. Although i expect it will just be seperate Netal device included in the retail box with the Xbox 360.

    Either way i couldn't care, i wouldn't be willing to buy a new xbox yet anyway maybe in a couple of years but right now it's just not practical with the credit crunch going on...

    ... time for the negative votes to come my way from people who like to shove cocks up Microsofts arse.