“For me, Natal is challenging because it’s so different,” he claims. “It’s very, very different to any other input mechanism the world has even seen before because there isn’t any buttons and that is both its strength and its big challenge. So when you’ve got a game like “Fable”, there is an enormous number of things we can do with Natal.” That being said, Molyneux concedes “But what I didn’t want, I wanted you to feel like you were part of the world. I didn’t want you to go off and play some mini game totally outside the world of “Fable”. I wanted you to feel like Natal was integrated into the world, if you like. It enhances the world, if you like. It’s going to be integrated in so there’s a purpose, and it gives you something, and there’s a reason to do it.”

Molyneux has previously stated, in regard to the much hyped “Fable” sequel, that giving gamers something new and unexpected was a key part of the inspiration for the game. “We could make “Fable III” like any sequel,” he told Switched in an interview last month, “but I think we need to surprise people.”

Speaking to computerandvideogames.com, Miyamoto says that Nintendo feels no pressure to try and compete with their own motion sensing devices, though believes, despite Sony’s denials, that the PS3 Move is very much a response to Nintendo’s own Wii Remote. “Nintendo should welcome the opportunity when or where something we have originally tried is intensified by somebody else, because that means that other people are trying to starting to show their appreciation for whatever endeavour we have made in the beginning,” he says. “The user experience that we have originated is going to be intensified by the advent of new machines from other companies. It’s a new experience that we originated, so we really see it as a great honour.”

The cheeky Miyamoto followed these comments up by noting that they have no intention of creating another more advanced motion sensing device, saying that the company would prefer to now focus on something else original instead. “What is very important for Nintendo is always thinking in terms of the appropriate types technology for us – unique and unprecedented entertainment to come up with technology that’s something new,” he insists. “That’s our mission. It needs to be something very different, very unique. Of course, sometimes we need to intensify the types we have already come up with, but that’s not the first priority for us. Competing with other companies in that category is never our top priority.”

“”Reach” is not a Natal title,” assures Jarrard. “From the ground up, it was always going to be designed around the traditional controller. Millions of people have spent billions of hours (using a controller). That’s how they’ve come to know and experience “Halo”. Natal didn’t even exist until we were well over halfway into our development cycle for “Reach”. There’s no way that’s going to work out.” He adds that, “As far as the future and 3D and crazy things like that, who knows what will happen? Our engineers are always looking to innovate and every Bungie title has introduced something for the first time we’ve never done before. Who knows what that might be in five or ten years time? Our engineers don’t follow, they lead.” Fans shouldn’t be expecting “Halo 3D” either, which might be inevitable coming from any other studio. “I don’t think that would be something our team would find interesting,” Jarrard notes. “There’s a lot of work feeling that “Reach” is sort of a final conclusion to our “Halo” saga and I think people will be excited to move forward and try our next big thing after that.”

In an interview with computerandvideogames.com, the EA Sports chief says he believes Natal will be a success and his company will be working to ensure they get jump on board for the ride. “I don’t,” Moore replied upon asking if he has any doubts about Natal’s success. “One thing I learnt being right there in Redmond being a Microsoft employee is that when they apply themselves, boy do they apply themselves – and there’s some very smart people (there). Microsoft would not have made the announcement they made and continued to make the announcements they have made about Natal – and their belief in it and the concept that it’s a brand new platform – if they didn’t believe it would work, and work at a mass market level, and ship it on time this holiday. When they say they’re going to do something, typically they’re able to do it. I don’t discount them whatsoever.”

As for its effect on EA Sports, Moore insists that  “Like everybody in the industry we’re excited about Natal. What we did to our industry with (the Wii) motion (control), we’re working with Sony and Microsoft to recapture that lightning in a bottle – particularly at a time when our business is going through a sticky time, when we’re asking where is our next big growth platform. I think we’re all excited… the democratisation of gaming where you don’t have any controller to be worried about and can just use your body is an exciting concept.”

In an interview with destructoid.com, Greenberg reiterated the notion that “Japan is a very important market for the gaming industry and home to some of the video game industry’s leading innovators” but said that, rather than trying to emulate the success of games such as “Halo” or the “Call of Duty” franchise, they would be better off spending their time trying to innovate with Microsoft’s much anticipated motion – and emotion – sensor.

“I have spent a lot of time in Japan in the ten years I have been on the Xbox business and I love the country, the people and their ability to create new experiences that could only come from Japan,” Greenberg says, while admitting however that “The reality of the Japanese gaming market is that it is not the size it once was and at the same time we have seen gaming become the largest form of entertainment around the world. However… I think there are ways to leverage their creativity with new tools like Project Natal.”

Greenberg rejects the notion that Japan is “over” in gaming, as Keiji Inafune of Capcom memorably declared at the Tokyo Game Show last year. “All of the leading Japanese publishers have announced they are actively working on games for Project Natal and I can’t wait to see these come to life,” he says. “I truly believe the future is bright for Japanese creators and publishers.”

The interview, which hit the web several hours before it was supposed to be released, sees Bach confirming Natal’s arrival in 2010 by responding to the question “What’s 2010 look like?” with “You look at what we have coming up in the Xbox space, with Project Natal, which I think is going to revolutionise how people think about the gaming business.”

As for the Xbox Game Room, also stated for release this year, and what it entails, Bach reveals, “Well, Game Room in some ways is sort of a retro approach. And it’s interesting, there’s a generation – sort of my advanced, mature age,” he jokes, “who grew up with a set of games like “Centipede”. They look almost like casual, fun games today – at the time they were high end, edgy games – and so Game Room is the  the idea of bringing that back to the market. And I think what we’re gonna find when people can get thirty or more of these games, they’re gonna love it for the experience. And it’s not just you and I who are gonna love it, even the people who call themselves hardcore gamers are gonna say “Oh wow, this is fun!” in a retro way… We’re gonna enjoy the games and they’re (the new generation) gonna think it’s cool. I think that’s very powerful.”

The site claims that Natal will receive its official launch in November next year, with five million units planned to be available on the first day of release, with a price tag of under fifty dollars and possibly even as low as thirty. A publishing source of mcvuk.com claims that Microsoft “is trying (to make Natal) get as close as possible to (being an) ‘impulse buy’.”

The device, which uses an assortment of cameras and microphones to follow player movements was first revealed to the public at the E3 convention in Los Angeles this year, with fourteen games supporting the technology already being prepared for release. If the November 2010 launch date is true,  that makes it almost exactly five years since the launch of the Xbox 360 and the Natal device has been seen by many in the industry as Microsoft’s way of ensuring their platform goes on to have a long shelf life without having to put out new versions of the console. Xbox boss Phil Spencer has already been quoted as having told mcvuk.com that the Xbox “hasn’t peaked” yet. “When Natal arrives it will feel like a new generation has come,” he told them during the summer. “I see it like the launch of 360 in November 05.” Microsoft has responded to the leak with their usual “Microsoft does not comment on rumour and speculation” – which isn’t, of course, a denial.

Molyneux, the creator of “Black and White” who is also currently working on the forthcoming “Milo and Kate”, which is widely tipped to be supporting Natal as well, is well known for dropping confirmations of news that his company has yet to officially announce, and it is entirely possible that this is yet another such example. Also in the talk, Molyneux said that the next installment in the “Fable” series will feature an in-game shop where players can purchase items to assist them in the game, such as a sword for an additional cost of one pound, while larger items – potentially even including an island – would go for considerably more.

The idea, Molyneux says, is to provide “a more harmonious relationship between a game and its downloadable content”, although the notion has generated considerable unease among some members of the gaming community. Nonetheless, the appeal of the “Fable” series remains strong, and its release in 2010 is certain to be a huge money-spinner for Lionhead and Microsoft.

“I had to restrain myself from telling everyone I met,” Kojima says of his reaction to first sampling the Natal device, which he says is akin to the jump from 2D to 3D graphics in terms of its inevitable seismic impact on the industry. “This technology surpasses anything we have at the same time as treasuring the current tradition,” he says.

“We don’t have to throw away the technologies we’ve built on. We can add to them… I see the potential of Natal, and it’s not just a traditional fad.” Kojima and Inafune both agree that the impact of Natal is going to be almost like science fiction to some people, and will forever change the ways in which people interact with their computer, and not just in terms of video games.

“Remember the film “Back to the Future”?” Nagoshi asked the audience. “Well, we’re very close to that future right now.” “We have to be role models with Natal and act responsibly,” says Nagashi. “We can lead people and show them the potential of Natal. We are serious people, and we can lead the rest of the world to this new technology.”