Speaking to
Destructoid, Microsoft's Kudo Tsunoda had some bad news for gamers hoping to see old Xbox 360 game updated with
Natal controls. The
Natal team has been able to effectively implement motion controls in older titles -- like
Beautiful Katamari and Space Invaders Extreme -- but Tsunoda intimated that it required large portions of code to be changed. According to Tsunoda, it's not something that developers could easily patch into older titles. In other words, if you want your favorite pre-Natal title to support motion control, you'll have to hope for a full-fledged re-release from the publisher.
That's definitely a blow for those hoping to enjoy some of their favorite games with motion control, especially considering Sony
can patch motion control into older PS3 titles. Here's hoping Namco sees the light and releases
Beautiful Natal-amari once Project Natal hits retail shelves.
{ Sep 25th 2009 at 2:30PM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Markez @ Sep 25th 2009 2:33PM
I read an article elsewhere, that Natal support enabled a cool control method on Katamari? Makes no sense to me. I've still got my health, I guess, but I don't see how tumbling into HD or swirling my hands around would make it work.
Markez @ Sep 25th 2009 2:34PM
I mean, is that what you'd call it, Rich? Hand swirling? Flipping the imaginary rolodex? Feeding the geese? er I think that last one was something else
JXCgunrunna @ Sep 25th 2009 2:41PM
theres no reason to beat (the meat) around the bush. call it what it is: being a single man.
Markez @ Sep 25th 2009 2:47PM
hehheheh hehh hehhehe hehehhe, is there some other committed man who can explain why this is so funny? being a single man... lulz
JXCgunrunna @ Sep 25th 2009 2:56PM
ok ok sorry about that. im 19 and i think its safe to say that relationships at this age are a little bit different than those of you who are in more mature relationships. You guys have
JXCgunrunna @ Sep 25th 2009 2:57PM
weird, it cut me off mid sentence. you guys have more meaningful relatoinships and we are about teh b00bz... or something like that.
WREturns (Looking for a graphic designer) @ Sep 25th 2009 3:04PM
I'll field this one, Markez.
JCX, you ever hear the phrase, "Three's a crowd?" Well you will when your girlfriend/wife is pregnant.
Kamal @ Sep 25th 2009 3:15PM
I think it is a good thing that it would not be supported on older games. That would be mostly hokey. I would rather have games that were built from the ground up to take advantage of Natal.
While I think Natal is really cool and cannot wait to see the innovation that happens because of it, I probably will still play with and prefer the controller with the majority of the games I play.
JXCgunrunna @ Sep 25th 2009 3:16PM
haha yea now that phrase has a totally new meaning to me now. I think i like it less tho.
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Sep 25th 2009 2:34PM
Damnit, there goes my hopes of t-bagging in Halo 3 with 10x more satisfaction.
Temidien @ Sep 25th 2009 2:36PM
Does it make me gay if the thought of t-bagging makes me smile every time?
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Sep 25th 2009 2:48PM
Not unless you're blindfolded.
Or really drunk.
REALLY drunk.
Shagittarius @ Sep 25th 2009 2:53PM
Depends, are you smiling because your the bagger or the baggeree?
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 25th 2009 2:55PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUxiXEGtp70
dark_inchworm (stronger than never, ever before) @ Sep 25th 2009 3:19PM
I hear Temidien enjoys teabagging while being teabagged.
Trust me, he can do it!
Temidien @ Sep 25th 2009 2:35PM
Halo with Nato would be fun until you had to do some of those jumps... that chief can darn near fly...
Temidien @ Sep 25th 2009 2:36PM
*Natal
Halo 3: North Atlantic Treaty Organization Edition
JXCgunrunna @ Sep 25th 2009 2:39PM
^ this is why we do not have an Edit button. Its much better to see the funny shit people have to add to make a mistake into something we can all enjoy.
Temidien @ Sep 25th 2009 2:41PM
I can't stop thinking about NATO v. UNSC now. Bungie, GET ON IT!!
ALBGunner04 @ Sep 25th 2009 2:36PM
I think we were all expecting this. Whenever a company adds a new fundamental change to their system (Trophies, Motion Control, etc.), the games that have already been released are less likely to update in order to support these new functions. A developing company has new projects to worry about, instead of going back to a game, reorganizing the code to fit a new feature. Trophies are an example of this and how there are many games pre-2008 that are Trophy-less. Not a big deal though. Once new games come out, it'll start becoming a standard.
JXCgunrunna @ Sep 25th 2009 2:43PM
I think sony would disagree with that. they are putting their motion controls into a lot of their released games.
ALBGunner04 @ Sep 25th 2009 3:16PM
Oh yeah? That's good. I was pretty angry when I only had Super Stardust HD for so long to collect Trophies for. If this new motion controller works out, I'll probably buy the PS Eye and the Controller.
Mr Khan @ Sep 25th 2009 2:45PM
It's a bad move to be patching, at least, as you launch your motion scheme. these controllers need compelling new content first and foremost, or they will fail. If the scheme really takes off, then make that investment
But you often find that necessary changes to add motion control are either going to be unsatisfactory, or are going to subtly change gameplay (much like how Metroid Prime Trilogy had a number of boss fights that, although they were programmed the same, they were easier or harder based merely on the subtle changes of controls), those who pursue this direction are going to find conflict.
johnnynumber5 @ Sep 25th 2009 3:09PM
You need both things. In this case it's not as easy to patch Natal into a game and we have seen the execution is terrible on at least Burnout Paradise.
The only way Natal and the PS3 Motion Controller will be successful is if they learn from the mistakes of Nintendo with the Wii. Don't promise something and not deliver, have quality control over the games that are released, don't force gamers to use the motion controller and put a lot of first party weight behind the devices. The reason the Wii was such a failure to core gamers was because 1. It didn't work as originally advertised and had to later add hardware that wasn't free, 2. There were barely any games for hardcore gamers, 3. The sheer volume of casual mini-game compilations gave the system a kiddy image and 4. A large portion of the first party stuff Nintendo put out wasn't geared towards a core audience.
The reason there is a difference is because the PS3 & 360 are damn near exclusively a hard core gaming platform at this point though it is changing. They need to convince the hardcore gamers first and not alienate them just for the casual consumer that only buys a handful of games in comparison. If you can convince the hardcore gamer that a motion controller setup offers them something as well as the casual then it will be a huge success.
If they decide to put out fitness routines, mini games, wii ports, stupid add on's (motion plus, heart monitor, plastic controller shells etc) then it will fail.
sk8monroe81 (PSN--XBL) @ Sep 25th 2009 4:57PM
johnny- do you really expect HARDCORE and otherwise non-casual type games to really come to the ps3 and 360 motion apps in the future ?
all we have really seen are CASUAL games displayed by sony and MS to show off their new products, so i wouldnt expect MGS5 and gears of war3 to even implement this, maybe though...
u realize this is being relased for the casual gamer right ?
mr kahn- i agree its not to go backwards, but move forward. developers spending time to patch this would leave less time for them to make new games to implement this technology..
Gemini Ace @ Sep 25th 2009 2:47PM
MS won't even add cheevos to original Xbox games. Of course they won't add Natal to existing 360 titles.
ducttapeBigSexy @ Sep 25th 2009 3:15PM
The best part of Natal? You can eat Cheetos while playing and not muck up your controllers.
... sorry, that has nothing to do with your post, but I misread "cheevos" as Cheetos. Maybe I just need a snack or something...
sk8monroe81 (PSN--XBL) @ Sep 25th 2009 4:59PM
+ (the other side of the coin)
""considering Sony can patch motion control into older PS3 titles""
well the same was said about trophies and sony thanks for supporting some old titles but ive been waiting for 2 years worth of games to be patched with trophies and it aint happening....
SLaYeR @ Sep 25th 2009 2:49PM
Lies! Adding controls is no more than a 1-2mb update for any game. It wouldn't require completely recoding it. It MIGHT require going in and making a tutorial to explain how all that flailing works for each specific game, but that's about it. Basically what I get from this, is to expect full priced re-releases specifically for Natal.
Phizzy @ Sep 25th 2009 3:22PM
You're wrong. Sure, adding support for a new standard joypad or steering wheel would be simple, but something like motion control is vastly different and would require a lot more code to accomplish. And yes, there'd need to be additional graphics and sound for tutorials and such. You can't just have a 2MB patch with a bit of code and a picture of a motion controller for the MOTION CONTROL ON option.
Preston @ Sep 25th 2009 2:50PM
Wait, people are actually surprised at this?
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 25th 2009 2:52PM
Well that makes sense....how many games does the 360 have that would fit into the 360Eye Demographic? and that would actually WORK with it??
sk8monroe81 (PSN--XBL) @ Sep 25th 2009 5:09PM
almost every game could implement these tech(s) in some fashion on the 360 or ps3, but who would want to spend that time and money in development, when they could move onto new projects and new $$$. ?
just from a developers/business stance i feel...
Whocares @ Sep 25th 2009 2:55PM
No natal on perevious games that havn't been developed for it!!!! WTF!!!!
oh wait, i'm not an idiot, and people who would have enough inteligence to be able to simply type www.joysitq.com wouldn't have considered this either.
Whocares @ Sep 25th 2009 2:58PM
the fact I spelt JOYSTIQ incorrectly makes my post redundent and makes me look a retard. well done me!
NOT ME @ Sep 25th 2009 8:41PM
you still type www???
eNrique @ Sep 25th 2009 2:55PM
Sony Motion Controller - 1
project natal - 0
JXCgunrunna @ Sep 25th 2009 2:59PM
zero cannot be a negative number.
johnnynumber5 @ Sep 25th 2009 3:13PM
He is using that to separate the numbers.
Christ-ian @ Sep 25th 2009 3:16PM
I don't think he means neg-
OOOOOOOHHH..... I see what you did there. Pshaw!
JXCgunrunna @ Sep 25th 2009 3:20PM
thank you so much johnny, *rolls eyes* i do not know what i would do without you.
johnny, I find the best way to counter trolls is with a sarcastic tone and try to turn their negativity into something clever. No reason to fight a war when you can deflect the pointlessness in a different direction.
whylekat @ Sep 25th 2009 2:57PM
"Don't expect old 360 games to add Natal support"
seriously... Why the hell would I??
GiggMan @ Sep 25th 2009 2:59PM
I'm curious when we are going to get a release date on this (or has anybody heard?)
I don't consider the space invaders part an actual game. I honestly would get tired of side stepping in my living room and I can't see myself anticipating getting home from work to "play" this.
Please show us a real game instead of all of these "possibilities" because all it's really doing is making it look really stupid (take the picture for this post as an example).
Make me something jaw dropping and fresh while letting me keep my dignity! DAMMIT!!
captainprotonx @ Sep 25th 2009 3:04PM
No forcing of the FUN? I'm shocked.
johnnynumber5 @ Sep 25th 2009 3:12PM
So, is everyone going to pitch a huge fit and throw a temper tantrum about how Microsoft doesn't care about backwards compatibility? Let me guess ... MS and Sony are held to different standards.
JXCgunrunna @ Sep 25th 2009 3:32PM
I didnt realize that we will no longer be able to play our non motion games after natel comes out. maybe you can post a link to that post so i can read it myself.
BC and adding motion controls to old games is totally different. When you got ur PS3 and PSN went up, did you expect sony to make your PS2 games online? didn't think so.
Jack Tretton @ Sep 25th 2009 3:33PM
"So, is everyone going to pitch a huge fit and throw a temper tantrum about how Microsoft doesn't care about backwards compatibility?"
This isn't backwards compatibility.
And if you want to flap your arm to play Lair because Sony will make it possible, please do.
sk8monroe81 (PSN--XBL) @ Sep 25th 2009 5:06PM
im lost did a 1 console only fanboy say something ?
i dont even understand this random splat of fanboy crap from somebody who usually collects themselves and gives a thought out opinion.....
i always knew johnny to be a fanboy since getting burned(RROD) by MS, but i usually like to hear his opinions.....
RangerPrimeX @ Sep 25th 2009 3:23PM
Don't worry. Sony promising support for older titles for new hardware does not seem to pan out in the end. Enjoying that PS2 support on your PS3 hardware? How many PS3 games got patched with force feedback after Dual Shock 3 came out?
I want to see new games that have this tech in mind when they were being designed. Too many 1st Gen Wii games and PS3 games had motion controlled tacked on as an after thought and were poorly done.
sk8monroe81 (PSN--XBL) @ Sep 25th 2009 10:23PM
hardware or firmware...
cough cough... still waiting for those trophies for older games myself....
and im waiting for the address to send my UMD games to sony in return for digital copies of them..... sneeze..... excuse me.
sony says maybe and yes, but the actual developers and publishes ususally say no, were going to make new games and not spend money on older games that probably sold less copies on the ps3 verion.