Project Natal will "absolutely need" a killer app - Jones

Realtime Worlds CEO, David Jones, has told GamesIndustry.biz that he's excited to see how Microsoft and Sony have responded to the motion-control challenge, but warned that while the former's much-talked about Project Natal system was "cool", it may not be as appropriate for core gamers as it would for a more mainstream audience.

Jones, talking ahead of his keynote appearances at GameHorizon and Develop this year, went on to explain that if it was to appeal to that sector, it would "absolutely need the right kind of killer software" to do so.

"Obviously hats off to Nintendo for having done all that, but it's interesting to see how Sony, and Microsoft especially, are trying to broaden their demographics," he said. "It's kind of exciting.

"My own personal opinion is that Natal is cool, although having nothing physical is going to be kind of strange for core gamers. It's just going to absolutely need the right kind of killer software. There's this talk that core games can adopt this stuff, but I don't think so. Core games are really about having something physical in your hands.

He went on to say that, as a designer of games for the core market, having that physical item was important, and he therefore leant more towards the Sony motion-control solution.

"I think that's why I like Sony's technology a little bit better in a way, having the wireless controller in your hand, with very high precision. I thought that was an interesting and good step for core gamers as well - but complete body-tracking? For me it'll have to be about that killer app that just could not have been done in any other way, apart from with that controller. That's going to be a challenge, and I'll be interested to see what that is."

The full interview with David Jones, in which he also talks about investor funding, the future of retail, this year's E3, recruitment and Ruffian Games, is available now.