Think that Natal is just going to be a collection of mini-games that use the innovative technology to allow you to wave your body around in front of your TV like a marionette? Think again. Well, think again if it sells in any big way.
THQ is reporting that it has a $40 million project for Natal sitting on the back burner just waiting for Microsoft's motion controls to sell lots. The company's core games VP, Danny Bilson told CVG all about it, saying, "I have some concepts and some ideas that use Natal in a core game in a really, really cool way.
"But to your other question I don't think the experience with the technology is there, I don't think the install base is there because the game I'm thinking about is a $30m/$40m Natal game and the install base isn't there yet to support that. The concept I have uses every corner of that tech and maybe in a couple of years we'll do it."
"...I think we have to wait a little bit just for the install base to justify spending a ton of money. Because my idea is a really expensive idea."
He went on to point out that THQ has an unannounced game landing on Natal that Microsoft is really excited about. Sadly, no one at CVG pointed out that the Wii has a massive install base and core games don't sell that well there at all. His response to that point would have been very interesting.
'$40m Natal game' planned by THQ [CVG]
Matthew Razak is Destructoid's Associate editor and co-founder of film site
Flixist. He began as community member "cowzilla" and was since sequestered to write brainy features material. He lives in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife.
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Contest:
6:00 PM on 04.03.2010 | 
If they'd actually even put in half of that kind of money into a wii title....
Just as a note:
Wii development costs: 5-8 million
Xbox-PC-PS3 : 12-20 million
The thing isn't even out yet and they already want to spent a gazillion amount of money on it, while blaming the wii for not selling well enough while making cheap shitty games. Ah well.
This is a stupid business decision the problem is not everybody that owns the 360 is going to get Natal. If there are 10 million 360 owners(made up figure but makes the math easier) and a huge 95% buy Natal that means you have 9.5 million potential customers. If you targeted just 360 customers you'd get ten million minus none.
Why would you shrink your market by exclusively targeting a peripheral not everybody will own? The PS2 camera had the same situation except the PS2 sold 140 million so there was a much bigger Eye Toy market than there will be a Natal one.
I guess THQ will have to find some other game to rip off of when they are nearing bankruptcy. They've already ripped off Grand Theft Auto and God of War, maybe they should do some more sports games.
I was just scrolling down minding my own business on the frontpage, saw your post, and lul'd.
I think one thing that's constantly forgotten though is people will buy controllers if the game base is good enough. Look at rock band and guitar hero - those peripherals were not cheap, and there were many of them, even revised versions for future editions of each of the games respectively. I heard somewhere Natal is only going to sell for $80 - which if is the case, given the success of the aforementioned games will be a great pricing point.
Additionally the 360 has sold over 30 million consoles. Trying to find an install base in there at said pricing point shouldn't be difficult at all to support heavier priced games.
The first one was already one hell of a innovative motion control blockbuster! It was as big as Modern Warfare 2, a sign that THQ really supports innovation.
DOH!
It's cute that you feel your comments are "genuine", though.
Step 1: Open teh internets
Step 2: Open Google
Step 3: Type in ''Wii development costs''
Step 4: ????
Step 5: Profit!
I'm sorry, but that ^ was funny.