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A Microsoft slip-up has accidentally released a CES video which confirms Microsoft’s Natal controller will launch later this year – as MCV revealed in November.
The Consumer Electronics Show kicks off in Las Vegas tomorrow, opened tonight by a special Microsoft keynote from the software giant’s boss Steve Ballmer.
But, as reported by Joystiq, Microsoft’s Channel 9 developer community site mistakenly posted a video of Entertainment & Devices Division president Robbie Bach talking about new Xbox features, including Project Natal.
The now removed video – which it is expected will reappear later on – shows Bach name a highlight for the division this year, including the 3D camera-based device.
"And then you look at what we have coming in the Xbox space, with Project Natal, which I think is going to revolutionize how people think about the gaming business, and actually turn into…" a transcript of the video quotes him as saying.
The video also lets slip news of a ‘Game Room’ service for retro games heading to Xbox Live – but the sketchy details are expected to be properly fleshed out later today.
Microsoft’s Ballmer himself had previously said the Natal kit was due this year, but the firm quickly downplayed his assertion.
Since E3, the format-holder has been keen to scotch any word on the timing of the hardware’s release – but after a behind-closed-door publisher and developer tour late last year industry sources confirmed to MCV that Natal would be out this November.
This latest video release only makes it all the more likely that Project Natal will be a key release for Microsoft this side of Christmas 2010.
Click here to read our story revealing Natal’s launch details
