Microsoft confirms Natal launch for October
Saudi Arabian marketing manager leaks information ahead of main E3 announcement
The Project Natal motion-sensing camera for the Xbox 360 will be launched worldwide "somewhere in October", according to Microsoft Saudi marketing manager Syed Bilal Tariq.
Speaking to website GamertagRadio, Tariq was asked when the device would be available in Saudi Arabia. He answered that the device would be launched in Saudi Arabia on the same day as the rest of the worldwide - implying a simultaneous launch in North America and EMEA regions at least.
Tariq added that the launch, "is going to be somewhere in October and we will be in a position to confirm the date at E3, which is in June, but definitely it is going to be October 2010".
Although Microsoft has repeatedly hinted at an autumn launch no official has ever confirmed a specific date or month. New hardware bundles, perhaps featuring a redesigned console in the manner of the PlayStation 3 Slim, have also been rumoured but never confirmed.
Project Natal remains only a codename for the device, which uses voice and face recognition as well as sensing a user's wider body movements. The final public name for the device is also expected to be revealed at E3 in June.