Wed, May 05, 2010 | 12:44 BST
Video or photography not allowed at MS Natal E3 event [Update]
Update: Microsoft’s just sent VG247 a statement on the matter. It reads:
“No, this event is a “technology free” event designed for you to come and enjoy yourself. Please leave your technology at home, no photography or video allowed. Visual assets will be provided following the event.”
Original: Anyone hoping for a live-stream of Microsoft’s pre-E3 event on Project Natal? You’re getting nada.
The firm’s sent out invites for press attending the event, but MS is keen to promote the show as a “technology-free” event, saying that no video or photography will be allowed at the event.
It now means the company’s main presser the night after the Natal event, which takes place on June 14 from 10am PST (6pm BST), will most likely be when we get to see a major blowout on the motion camera.
It also brings up concerns on the latency of the tech, which has come into serious doubt since Gamescom last August in Cologne, when it was shown off at the event to journalists.
Thanks, GI.
24 
Posted in: Hot, Microsoft, Xbox 360, hardware
Tags: Microsoft E3 Natal Event, project natal
24 comments
#1
Droid
05/05/10, 11:20 am
I’d bet good money on someone sneaking in a camera to record stuff.
#2
Gheritt White
05/05/10, 11:23 am
Well *that* bodes well, I don’t think. Does this mean that if you’re not at the event, you won’t be able to see it? Won’t there be any live streams?
#3
SplatteredHouse
05/05/10, 11:24 am
There’ll be a live blog running, though?
#4
NGCes26294BIV
05/05/10, 11:25 am
“It also brings up concerns on the latency of the tech”
Why?
#5
2plus2equals5
05/05/10, 11:25 am
Why?!?!
I don’t have a 360 but i want to see what natal can do!
What’s the problem?
#6
SplatteredHouse
05/05/10, 11:29 am
Have we yet seen Natal usage in games for 360′s traditional fanbase? Maybe, one event is for party games and whatever, and the E3 presser will cast light on what Natal + G3 equals…
#7
The Hindle
05/05/10, 11:33 am
Thats bad then, we are the people Microsoft will have to win around to Natal.
#8
Blerk
05/05/10, 11:35 am
That’s a bit rubbish. Not that I want a Natal, but it would’ve been interesting to see it in action.
#9
Erthazus
05/05/10, 12:19 pm
Thats really strange if you ask me.
#10
spikeymike
05/05/10, 12:26 pm
“a “technology-free” event” – maybe they are referring to Natal here
Either it’s superamazingwow but they don’t want to play their hand, or it’s unbelievablymegacrappy and they want to hide that fact…
#11
Petulant Radish
05/05/10, 12:29 pm
That’s ridiculous, and automatically made me very suspicious.
#12
manamana
05/05/10, 12:36 pm
@Hindle … i don’t think that M$ has “us” in mind, when it comes to natal. “We” are a few lousy hardcore-gamers. The big mass outside of vg247 is the intended natal audience, imo.
#13
Erthazus
05/05/10, 12:39 pm
@12 We are not the only… There are a lot of gamers and people that watch E3 LIVE broadcast. Millions of them and not to show how Natal works is really bad.
It’s making everybody there suspicious.
#14
manamana
05/05/10, 1:02 pm
Maybe M$ will kinda “control” how their new gimmick is released to the press? BigN is great in doing so. Probably they will release their own press-material. My guess: There will be pictures and there will be videos on YT.
#15
spikeymike
05/05/10, 1:03 pm
Ahhh so this event is before the big E3 reveal. It makes more sense now, as they will want the E3 reveal to be the biggie, and unspoilt.
#16
manamana
05/05/10, 1:04 pm
And it’ll still have latency
#17
Erthazus
05/05/10, 1:25 pm
So maybe they will show Natal at Microsoft official Press Conference.
#18
Eregol
05/05/10, 1:36 pm
‘Visual assets will be provided following the event’
In other words, ‘You’ll see what we bloody well want you to see!’
#19
Amored
05/05/10, 1:37 pm
@spikeymike
That makes sense
#20
manamana
05/05/10, 1:47 pm
Visual assets will be provided on an iPad. Lol
#21
Gheritt White
05/05/10, 3:09 pm
@ 18: Either that or they’ve signed some kind of exclusivity deal with a major North American network.
#22
xino
05/05/10, 4:05 pm
that’s stupid man1
this means “smokes and screesn!”
#23
mtmind2
05/05/10, 5:49 pm
This make’s perfect sense. Videos of Natal from the pre-E3 event spreading all over the internet will take away from the ‘big reveal’ during the E3 conference itself.
Not sure why this should bring up any latency concerns, since we’ve been told the latency of the latest Natal prototype (which we haven’t seen yet) is very much improved. However the nature of the tech means there will always be some latency, hence it’s a matter of whether that latency is high enough to be noticeable or enough to interfer with gameplay. We’ll know soon enough.
#24
Jackal
09/05/10, 9:35 am
Fine,
Have been seeing this Ricoshet thing now for one year, was really looking forward to this, and now we cannot see anything at the product converence?
Thanks for givin’ me the push to sell my xbox 360 and going for sony PS3. Unlike Sonys Move all the Natal hype definatley has to come from all the marketing stunts you pull Microsoft.