Kinect is in, 'Project Natal' is out

by Justin McElroy on Jun 13th 2010 8:25PM

Update 2: Major Nelson confirms it: Project Natal is now officially called Kinect.

Update: Oops! It looks like USA Today jumped the gun on the announcement and has since pulled the piece from its site. Stay tuned for Microsoft's official unveiling later.

We've got either good or bad news depending on how you felt about the rumored name change for Microsoft's motion-sensing Project Natal. The new brand "Kinect" has just been confirmed by USA Today. The story, which includes no pricing or timing info, seems to have been slated to run tomorrow, though we imagine it might have been rushed out when the name started circulating after appearing in an Italian ad.

There's even a list of games!

[Huge thanks to Jake for the heads up.]

Source: USA Today

Tags: e3-2010, kinect, kinectproject-natal, microsoft, project-natal, xbox

Reader Comments (71)

But can I play K'NEX with my Kinect?

@MLS Shit, you beat me to it.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Kinect scores about a 9000 on the 'dumb name meter'.

@MLS Actually, if you want it to be more exact it will be November 4, 2010. And unlike some of the reactions of other people, thinking its just a copycat of Wii. You're wrong. In fact this is quite new and something fresh. Review. http://2su.de/i8q

It's not a bad name.

I just don't know how it fits in a with a hands free motion control device...

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

I think it's a combination of "connect" and "kinetic." So it half ties in with movement.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze Ahh, good call!

I didn't think of that.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze Eyetoy Kinetic

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

And the other half would be connecting with others through on-line play...connected while exerting kinetic energy...problem solved...lol.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

This is all too funny, because I work for a digital pharma advertising agency named Kinect.

@(Unverified) Goddamn that was a quite downvote.

Is this in any way related to Microsoft's Kin phones?

Oh man, just go with Natal. This branding is too close to Kinex. Everytime I read that I'm gonna think of tiny little sticks and spokes building a giant roller-coaster.

@DerickDBrown
Like MLS said... K'NEX is what I meant yeah.

@(Unverified) Sigh, quick, even.

Edit button please?

*sniffles*

I thought when we were getting Engadget's new comment system, we'd see severely downvoted messages hidden behind a "downvoted into oblivion" message, or at least a clever variation. WHY CAN I STILL SEE THE TROLL?

Glad to see Joyride back... not happy that it's now not free

I like it. It's a play on connect and kinetic.

Kinect makes me think of Kinetica... to bad it's a Sony title. I'd love to see a sequel to it...

@Acosta02
Sorry...my reply doesn't belong here

@Acosta02

I thought I was the only one who remembered that title..

And the other half would be connecting with others through on-line play...connected while exerting kinetic energy...problem solved...lol.

Why is it a final product name never sounds as good as their code-names?

The official name coulda been worse. I actually liked Natal though.

Eh, don't like it. I prefer Natal.

@ChuckBartowski

@ChuckBartowski ARGH! SO MUCH REPLY FAIL!

There seems to be some sort of diskinect here.

I bet it's supposed to be pronounced as "Connect". Same BS as Nintendo did with "We".

Repost, as I commented in the wrong post: Sony won't be happy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetica_%28game_engine%29

@Shiaoran I thought of the Kinetica engine as soon as i heard this. thats the god of war I and II engine, and i even think some of the code was in naughty dog's jak and daxter and insomniac's rachet and clank engines

@Shiaoran

Immediately i thought of Kinetic, but not of Connect. That does make more sense.

@Shiaoran

holy hell, santa monica has quite the list of games. i love almost all of them...

Found out Sony has one more reason to be pissed:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps2/925207-eyetoy-kinetic/images

When is this Natal showing what time ? Check the list of games:

•Kinectimals lets you train and play with 20 different virtual cats, including a lion, cheetah and tiger.

•Joyride, a racing game, lets players use their hands to hold an imaginary steering wheel — pull your hands toward you and push back out for an acceleration boost — and their bodies to execute jumps and tricks.

•Kinect Sports has six activities including boxing, bowling, beach volleyball, track and field, soccer and table tennis. To serve a volleyball, you mimic the real motion; in soccer, you can kick the ball or do a header.

•Kinect Adventures includes a river-raft time trial and obstacle course, playable by up to four players. On the raft, playing as a duo, you and a partner must lean one way or another to steer. Jumping helps the raft reach special areas for extra points.

•Dance Central, in development by MTV Games, brings a So You Think You Can Dance experience home.

•Star Wars characters and iconic Disney favorites will be featured in separate new games being developed at Microsoft in conjunction with LucasArts and Disney.

So Joyride Will be released and it will be a Kinetic game now.. -- They all sound like party games

@McDuckScrooged thats because they all are party games. Not trolling here but now PS Move is the only motion device that might get serious games. "kinect" will become a dumping ground just like the wii, because of the popularity of the xbox in the us. god help us all.

microsoft has now beaten nintendo in the stupid names department with Kinect. Why Microsoft? Why?

I read "Kinetic" which would have been a much better name.

@(Unverified) that's the point. It's a play on both "connect" and "kinetic"

I prefer Natal, gotten used to it now, Kinect sounds lame, trying to hard to be 'down with the kids' by basing it on connect ¬_¬

@(Unverified)

Eyetoy Kinetic

Yeah, Natal was a much better name; but at least this is somewhat related to what the actual product does and is much more suited to becoming a separate brand than Natal was.

So it's Kinect? Ugh. I don't really like the name. But then, I didn't like Wii at the time either (I preferred Revolution, like I prefer Natal right now), so it'll probably grow on me.

(also accidentally posted this on the other 'Kinect' post)

Kinect! It's a combination of connect and kinetic.

I don't see the connection.

See, diagonally!

Pretty sneaky, sis.

@(Unverified) You only think it sounded better because that's what we've been used to. If it had been codenamed Project Kinect and today they came out and said it's called Natal, it would be like "WTF, Natal?!?"

@(Unverified) yeah, it seems everyone has forgotten how much they made fun of "Natal" back when that name was first leaked.

@(Unverified)

great point, also i remember the same people saying Natal was a stupid name

I don't see how Kinect is any worse than "Wii." It's a fine name. Now I hope we see a reasonable price on the hardware and a ton of great games for it. I could see myself buying a new 360 slim model with built-in wifi, no chance of it dying due to a significant design flaw which should have been recalled, and Natal (Kinect) included.

I don't know, Kinect sounds like they though Natal was too difficult for their audience. Like Kinect, being a kool permutation of a common word, would be something they thought their audience could get their tiny noggins around.

It'll take getting used to, but I really didn't like Natal, the name reminded me of fetuses and hospitals.

Bummer for MS. They were doing an unusually excellent job of preventing leaks this year, and arguably their biggest one just got blown open just a few days before E3.

@(Unverified)

Ever since the site upgrade we have gotten so many dumb 12 year olds (Or at least made them active). I just don't even want to comment anymore, it's such an unpleasant experience. It does look nice, though.

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Kinect is in, 'Project Natal' is out

Reader Comments (71)

Posted: Jun 13th 2010 8:26PM MLS said

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