SEGA to show Natal prototype at E3

By Ellie Gibson Published 18 March, 2010

Motion controlled Mario & Sonic coming?

SEGA West boss Mike Hayes has said the company is already working on a Project Natal demo - and will be showing it off at E3.

It's not just Microsoft's motion control technology SEGA is interested in, either. "All credit to Microsoft and Sony, they've given us early development kits," Hayes told CVG.

"We asked our Japanese studio to create something for [Natal] which we'll show off at E3. They had a brilliant prototype up and running within six weeks. I mean a genuinely entertaining prototype you could just play."

So what kind of games is SEGA looking at producing with the new tech? "I think Natal and the Sony Motion Controller allow us to do things that are more about multi, party gaming. In a way, it's a move away potentially from the core. That's what we're actually getting good at."

According to Hayes, the future is games which are "repetitive fun - easy to pick up and pass around", like Mario & Sonic. "That's where we could either use old Sega IP or come up with new ideas," he added.

E3 will take place in Los Angeles from 15th - 17th June. We'll be there, waggling our arms and waving glowing ping pong balls just as fast as we can.

Picture of Ellie.

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 (26) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • markymark22 #1 2 years ago

    A move away potentially from the core and repetitive fun. Oh lord. Thank god microsoft and sony still have class games that wont have us waggleing if we dont want to.

  • Murton #2 2 years ago

    I think we all knew that some company would try to port their Wii shovelware onto Move and Natal, wasn't expecting it to be SEGA though.

  • GamesConnoisseur #3 2 years ago

    Natal isn't waggling in the same way isn't it? Aside from your BMI giving a greater a workout?!

    Interested to know how third party support will turn out and the resultant sales as EA are certainly ignoring Natal in the first waggling round in favour of Move and Wiimote.

  • OMGAero #4 2 years ago

    There already is a motion controlled Mario & Sonic. Two of them in fact.

  • doulema #5 2 years ago

    @Schiff

    If they do add Natal into Shenmue im sold. Im curious to see how many big developers will try to make some prototypes of new IPs and ways to use Natal in order to get the biggest slice of a new selling tech in the gaming industry. Their will to create something new and original is what will help Natal work and sell in the first place more than anything.

  • Eraser #6 2 years ago

    Mario & Sonic on Natal? Have you been smoking crack? Do you really think Mario would appear on any console other than a Nintendo branded one?

  • GreyBeard #7 2 years ago

    Somehow I can't see Mario appearing on a platform directly competing with Nintendo's own...

    Lol beaten!
    Edited by 1 at 18/03/10 @ 09:29

  • miiiguel #8 2 years ago

    Enough with the Shenmue thing, it's not going to happen. Ever.

    But..., Natal could realy work with it, I think. Motion controls replacing the qte's.

  • Buenos_Estente #9 2 years ago

    Sonic and Master Chief at the World Cup!

  • s11mmy #10 2 years ago

    Sega Superstars HD

  • youhavenomail #11 2 years ago

    "Mario & Sonic on Natal? Have you been smoking crack? Do you really think Mario would appear on any console other than a Nintendo branded one?"

    He's already been there, done that and rubbed Hotel Mario out of his resume.

  • Stuz359 #12 2 years ago

    Monkey Ball Natal

  • Banksy #13 2 years ago

    Anyone else anticipating post-Natal depression?

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #14 2 years ago

    So the future of gaming is either "repetitive fun - easy to pick up and pass around" or interactive movies like Heavy Rain according to Molyneux.

    :(

  • tancredo #15 2 years ago

    Not a surprise

    I mean:

    Sega + Natal + hardcore = Bad - do not sound right

    Sega + Natal + Party/Family games = Good - at least they have recently shown signs of getting back to form.

    ** Heavy Rain style games + Natal seem like a natural fit. Would not be surprised to see a couple games trying that approach next year, at least an E3 announcement about them
    Edited by 4 at 18/03/10 @ 10:30

  • captainrentboy #16 2 years ago

    I really hope that once these motion controllers are released the PS3 and 360 don't slowly go the way of the Wii, with 8/10 games released in any given month being some form of shitty, waggle filled, shovelware.
    It could happen couldn't it, I mean the Wii literally has zero quality control when it comes to what games are released for it, and developers could now focus on the same kind of games for the other two formats too, loads and loads of cheap and cheerful movement based titles. Uggghhh is this going to bethe future of gaming? :/
    Edited by 1 at 18/03/10 @ 10:33

  • Canyarion #17 2 years ago

    Sonic & Banjo at the World Cup!

  • jonsaan #18 2 years ago

    Do you think Nintendo's plan is to let SONY and MS disappear up motion control alley and release a new console that ditches the worthless cack once and for all? :D

  • rhinoxious #19 2 years ago

    I'm just waiting for the inevitable soft-core team-ninja-stylee breasts and bikini fest game for natal, or rather I'm looking forward to the Daily Mail's reaction to such a title!

  • muscleblade #20 2 years ago

    "Motion controlled Mario & Sonic coming?"

    Sorry Gibson not possible on a Microsoft Console.
    Guess why??

    Edit: Ok beaten twice. Still worth mentioing 3 times i think.
    Edited by 1 at 18/03/10 @ 13:07

  • darleysam #21 2 years ago

    But Matt Cassamassinananana damacy spoke to someone who knows a guy whose cousin like totally played on Natal one time and it just did not work so this is totall bunk. Sorry SEGA.

  • The-Bodybuilder #22 2 years ago

    "repetitive fun - easy to pick up and pass around", like Mario & Sonic. "That's where we could either use old Sega IP"

    By that description, doesn't sound like a shenmue remake (with 3) doesn't fit into that "old sega IP" mold.
    :-(

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #23 2 years ago

    EA are certainly ignoring Natal

    Are they? I wouldn't be surprised if Peter Moore made a guest appearance at his old stomping ground, the MS E3 Press conference.

    With EA Sports Active Natal's release date tattooed on his cock.

  • markymark22 #24 2 years ago

    Mentalist(air)
    ha ha sounds like something that knob jockey would do alright!

  • KayTannee #25 2 years ago

    Just thinking, I'd quite like to see Johnny Chung Lee's 3D head tracking hack for the Wiimote princible used with Natal.

  • Bander #26 2 years ago

    Project Rub 3!

    Not going to happen though, because Sega don't do things that make sense.