GamesIndustry is reporting that Microsoft has dropped a chip from its Xbox 360 Natal motion control system in an attempt to keep the price point accessible to as many as possible.
The chip is reportedly responsible for processing information for Natal's 'bone system' and has been dropped in favor of a cheaper software solution. "The full Natal hardware/sensor combo always looked like an expensive proposition in a market where Microsoft really needs to turn a profit," said tech website Digital Foundry. "The notion of offloading the processing to the 360 CPU in the name of lower costs and easier upgradability makes sense.”
Microsoft assets released at CES also suggests there is no longer an onboard chip. "A proprietary software layer makes the magic of 'Project Natal' possible. This layer differentiates 'Project Natal' from any other technology on the market through its ability to enable human body recognition and extract other visual noise."
The chip’s removal could mean that non-Natal games won't be patched to include motion control support, a feature previously discussed by Microsoft Game Studios' Kudo Tsunoda.
Microsoft wouldn’t comment on the report when contacted by CVG.